A new set of multifunctional benches with integrated bike parking has been commissioned and delivered at the green space on Beecher Street and Upper Lacknalooha in Mallow, showcasing an innovative approach to sustainable design.
The project was delivered by Mallow-based company BladeBridge, a company specialising in repurposing decommissioned wind turbine blades for use in infrastructure and public amenities. The company was co-founded by Dr Angie Nagle, Kieran Ruane and Dr Paul Leahy, and has grown out of the international Re-Wind Network research initiative.
The newly installed benches are constructed using retired wind turbine blades, with many of the materials sourced from the Barnesmore Wind Farm in Donegal. The seating surfaces are made from recycled plastic supplied by Cork-based firm Talitech.
The installation was commissioned by Mallow Tidy Towns, with funding provided by Cork County Council and the Community Climate Action Fund.
BladeBridge has previously delivered a number of high-profile sustainable infrastructure projects, including a 5.5-metre bridge on the Midleton to Youghal Greenway. Completed in January 2022, the bridge spans a flood channel on the Dungourney River, approximately 3km from Midleton train station. The structure utilised two LM13 wind turbine blades, sourced from Northern Ireland, to replace traditional steel girders in the superstructure.
That project was also commissioned by Cork County Council.
