In 1974, the derelict
Ballincollig Royal Gunpowder Mills site was purchased by Cork City Council, largely thanks to the efforts of historian George D. Kelleher to whom a plaque was dedicated in the park in 2008. Most of the tenders for the development of car parks, footbridges, footpaths, etc., and the job advertisement for park caretaker, were posted between 1987 and 1988. In 1991, an international architectural design competition for the reception building at the Gunpowder Mills was won by Irish architects
Tom de Paor and Emma O'Neill. The building went on to win awards from the
Architectural Association of Ireland in 1993 and the
Royal Institute of the Architects of Ireland in 1994. The park contains soccer pitches, a rugby pitch, walkways, a skateboard facility built at the cost of 170,000 euro, and free-to-use
outdoor fitness equipment - the latter installed on the park's western end in November 2011. As a result of a 2012 development plan, which outlined the future of the Regional Park by the Recreation & Amenity section of the local authority, planning was approved for multi-use games areas and a children's playground. By 2019, the total of 1.4 million euro was spent on facilities. In 2019, the park was extended to Fionn Laoi, an east Ballincollig area adjacent to the river. The development including installing a riverside walk and cycleway. In 2021, many additional trees were planted throughout the park. In 2024, a
Little Free Library was installed close to the western entrance to the park. ==Use==