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Displaying items by tag: People’s Park Haulbowline

A former Cork Harbour slagheap turned park has been officially opened by the Taoiseach, as The Irish Times reports.

Taoiseach Micheál Martin was joined by local TD and Defence Minister Simon Coveney among others on Saturday (17 July) at the ribbon-cutting for what’s been named the People’s Park Haulbowline.

As previously reported on Afloat.ie, the park — on the site of the former Irish Steel slag heap at the east tip of Haulbowline island — includes 4km of harbour-side walkways, a 1km jogging circuit and numerous seating areas.

It has also been extensively landscaped with wildflower areas and more than 200 trees, rich with biodiversity and wildlife.

And its official opening marks the culmination of a multi-year, €25m remediation project that the Taoiseach says should stand as a model for the rest of the country.

“This is great day not for Corkonians but also for the people of Ireland,” he said. “It’s a national people’s park but it also reflects the genuine transformation that we can bring about at various sites.”

The Irish Times has more on the story HERE.

Bob Bateman's People's Park & Haulbowline Photo Gallery

Published in Cork Harbour

SB20 (formerly Laser SB3) information

Designed by Tony Castro, the SB20 is a British-built strict one-design 6.15m keelboat conceived as a wide appeal, affordable, competitive sportsboat for teams of three or four sailors. It is also, arguably, the most successful sportsboat in the world with 800 owners competing regularly in a programme of exciting local, national and international events.

Originally known as the Laser SB3, the SB20 continues to deliver on its pioneering promise: a boat that is fun, fast and easy to sail by anyone of any age; the best value-for-money sportsboat in the market.

The Laser SB3 was designed by Castro and launched in 2002. In 2007 the Laser SB3 was awarded ISAF Recognised Status and the first World Championships were held in Ireland in 2008. In 2012, Tony Castro appointed a new builder, Sportsboat World. At this time, the Laser SB3 was renamed the SB20 and building was returned to the UK from Malaysia. The ethos of the class continues.

The boat is a strict one-design class, economic to buy and campaign, easy to sail with a simple deck layout and electric downwind performance delivered by the generous sail plan. The boat has a lifting keel, can easily be launched from a slipway and towed behind a family car.

Previous SB20 World Champions

2008 GBR: Geoff Carveth, Roger Gilbert, Roz Allen & Sarah Allan

Host National Yacht Club, Dun laoghaire, Ireland

2009 GBR: Craig Burlton, Stephen White, Adam Heeley

Host Clube Naval de Cascais, Cascais, Portugal

2010 GBR: Jerry Hill, Grant Rollerson, Joe Llewellyn

Host Circolo Vela Torbole, Lake Garda, Italy

2011 GBR: Geoff Carveth, Andy Ramus, Ian Mills & Emma Clarke

Host Royal Torbay Yacht Club, Torquay, UK

2012 GBR: Geoff Carveth, Lesley Dhonau, Roger Hudson & Asenathi Jim

Host Hamilton Island Yacht Club, Queensland, Australia

2013 GRB: Craig Burlton, Stephen White, Adam Heley Host COYCH Club, Hyeres, France