Renewed push for new parkrun to be set up in Portlaoise

Laois County Council has been asked to help establish a weekly parkrun in Togher Woods in Portlaoise.

Cllr Tommy Mulligan raised the motion at the November meeting of Laois County Council, emphasising the need for such an event in Portlaoise.

Parkruns are free weekly timed 5km events open to all abilities held in local green spaces and managed by community volunteers.

Thousands of people take part in parkruns across Ireland every weekend. People can run, walk, volunteer, push a buggy, or walk their dog.

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Cllr Mulligan said parkruns foster a "huge sense of pride in the community" and promote physical and mental health.

Currently, Vicarstown is the only location of a parkrun in the county.

Laois Sports Partnership kickstarted the initiative for a parkrun to be established at Togher Woods. 

The group hosted an information evening at the Midlands Park Hotel last June for anyone interested in joining the project.

Now, Cllr Mulligan has urged Laois County Council to engage with the stakeholders involved with a view of entering into an agreement to facilitate the use of the woods on the basis of a one-year rolling agreement.

Director of Services at Laois County Council, Simon Walton, said he was happy to support engagement on the project.

Funded by the Local Democracy Reporting Scheme