The Office of Public Works (OPW) has rejected a petition for improved lighting in the Phoenix Park on the grounds that it would increase light pollution.
In November, Darcy Lonergan, a councillor Cabra and Glasnevin,
set up a petition with the aim of improving the lighting in the Phoenix Park to allow for people to get exercise during winter evenings.
However, the OPW has now said that it does "not want to encourage people to visit the park at night", with chief park superintendent Margaret Gormley quoted in the
Irish Times as saying: "we’re aware people do, but we don’t endorse that."
The Phoenix Park is notable for its gas lamps which were installed in 1850s and Ms. Gormley said that "the low lighting levels support the habitat of the deer because the deer graze throughout the park at night."
She did suggest that while running in the park at night is not encouraged, people are welcome to use its amenities for stargazing. Ms. Gormley said that "the decision to preserve the gas lights was made to support the conservation of the historic fabric of the park, but also to retain low lighting levels and low levels of light pollution, so the park is a place where people can stargaze.”
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