Conservation group proposes alternate site for planned Hospice at Merlin Park

Galway Bay fm newsroom – A group of conservation volunteers is proposing an alternate location for a new Galway Hospice facility planned for Merlin Park.
Conservation Volunteers Galway have been in discussions with Galway Hospice and the HSE as part of a consultation process on the proposed building of a new Hospice on the wildflower meadow.
Conservation Volunteers say they’ve asked HSE to explain why this meadow outside of the Merlin Park Hospital campus was offered.
The group says there are approximately 84 acres of unused land in Merlin Park Hospital campus which could be used instead.
According to Conservation Volunteers Galway, the South Meadows meet all definitions of an EU Annex 1 Habitat and is the only location with this ecosystem designation within Galway City.
Conservation Volunteers Galway is calling on City Councillors to refuse to rezone the South Meadows for building until the HSE has presented its Development Plan for the hospital.
Meanwhile, a petition by the Friends of Merlin Woods group which is being used as a ‘Save the Meadow’ lobby document has gathered over 2,200 signatures.
A petition by Galway Hospice calling on the public to back the rezoning of the land to allow the project go ahead has so far gathered over 1,900 signatures.