Council wins Excellence award for Meakstown Community Centre and Garden

Fingal County Council’s innovative Meakstown Community Centre and Bloom Community Garden was named as the winner of the Supporting Sustainable Communities Award at the Chambers Ireland Excellence in Local Government Awards 2025.

It was selected by the judges from a shortlist that included projects from Carlow, Cork, Kildare, Monaghan, South Dublin and Wexford County Councils and Limerick City and County Council. 

The Centre and Garden, which were completely funded by the Council, are located in Lanesborough Park in Dublin 11 and are within a 10 minute walk for the majority of residents in the area. Both projects showcase how well-designed buildings and urban open spaces contribute positively to the liveability of our towns and cities.

The Mayor of Fingal, Cllr Tom O’Leary, said: “This is a deserved award for the local community who campaigned for a community centre and the redevelopment of Lanesborough Park and for those who worked on the project. It has set the standard for community centres in Ireland and is a tremendous example of how Councils can help communities to become more sustainable.”

The Chief Executive of Fingal County Council, AnnMarie Farrelly, said: “This was a cross-departmental project in collaboration with the local community and completely funded by the Council. It faced stiff competition from the seven other local authorities who were short-listed for the award so winning the award shows the high level of innovation and sustainable impact contained in both the Centre and the Garden.”  

The brief and detailed design for the Community Centre responded to the needs and requests of the community and resulted in an innovative circular and environmentally conscious building which is now a major landmark in Dublin 11. The Centre provides a mix of facilities for sport and community use for all ages. 

Fingal’s gold medal Bloom Garden from 2023 was adapted and rebuilt beside the Centre through a collaborative effort between local residents, the Council and community organisations. The garden has a focus on sustainability, with all material used coming from council depots that are surplus from other projects. It aims to demonstrate the principle of Reduce, Reuse, Recycle.