The Town of Killarney is built around a lake. However, the downtown turns its back upon the lake and focuses instead on a rail line that is seeing increasingly less traffic. Broadway street extends through the downtown area from the rail track to the lake. In the 1950s a gas station/ motel occupied the position of prominence between the end of Broadway and the beginning of the lake at Killarney Bay. The motel burned down in the early 1990’s. Following this the land was returned to public ownership and the town arranged for environment rehabilitation. In 2005 the site was cleared for construction and the Town decided to build a park to mark its’ centennial in 2007.

The park was conceived as both the end of Broadway street and the beginning of the Lakes recreational areas. As such it offers the first vehicular and pedestrian views of lake. The design consists of a set of ‘entry gates’ with an axial path extending to a viewing platform which affords a view out of the bay into the main part of the lake. The center of the viewing platform is being planted with species to attract butterfles and also affords seating. Phase two of construction will link the Bay Park to the beach at Erin Park via a walking trail.

The Project Scope

• Symbolic beginning of the ‘lake’ recreation area
  
• Visual terminus of Broadway Ave (commercial district)
  
• Observation area for viewing of the lake
  
• Pedestrian links into the existing park structure
  
• Horticultural display garden (to be maintained by volunteers).

Project Details

• Client - Town of Killarney
  
• Jim Dowset
  
• Design - 2006
  
• Construction - 2006-7
  
• Project Budget - withheld