A call to arms as town looks to M20 challenge
THE annual general meeting of Charleville Chamber, on Tuesday, February 27 at the E Centre, Baker’s Road, Charleville, has an added significance for the town with the recent announcement by Taoiseach Leo Varadkar that the M20 Motorway is going to proceed from Attyflynn in County Limerick to Blarney, bypassing the towns of Charleville, Buttevant and Mallow en route.
The outgoing president of the chamber, P. J. McCarthy, told an information meeting hosted by Charleville Chamber that all concerned for the future of the town, including voluntary organisations, will have to work together to meet and overcome the challenges that this development presents.
“We will have to engage with the planners early in the planning process to ensure that Charleville won’t be at a disadvantage by ensuring that the exits off the motorway for the town will favour the retail sector. We presently have a great town and the progress of the motorway linking Cork and Limerick should not interfere in any way with the trading situation in Charleville, provided we have good access and adequate parking facilities, to enhance the footfall in Charleville,” he said.
Mr. McCarthy said a survey of the current footfall in the town needs to be completed along with an accurate estimation of the annual spend in the retail sector in the town. The Chamber, he said, needs to work closely with all the stakeholders locally to ensure that what is best for the town is put in place, as we look to the future.
Cllr Ian Doyle congratulated the Chamber on their work to date for the town and he referred to the CCTV security cameras, which will be installed within the town area in the near future, The security cameras have been funded by Cork County Council in conjunction with the Chamber, Charleville Community an Tidy Towns Committee and local Gardai.
“When erected they will provide an essential element of security for the retail sector and the general public, as well as monitoring traffic flow through the streets and they will be equipped with the ability to record number plates on vehicles,” he said.
A relief road to remove heavy goods vehicles from the Main Street in advance of the motorway was also mooted by Mr. McCarthy. This, he said, may come off the present N20 at the medical centre, south of the town, and be routed in a northerly direction parallel to Baker’s Road, to link up with the Limerick Road again in the vicinity of the Charleville Park Hotel.
Mr. Doyle also referred to the fact that Kerry Group had offered the Moatville House and 12 acres of walled gardens to the community in conjunction with Charleville Heritage Society and he extended his thanks to the Kerry Group for this gesture to the local community.
Mr. McCarthy said that Charleville Heritage Society and Charleville Tidy Towns Committee had been doing tremendous work to promote and improve the town environment, respectively and he complimented both organisations on their success to date.
Mr. McCarthy called on the retail community to get involved with the Chamber to work to enhance Charleville as a vibrant shopping location and residential area. “We are a voluntary committee working for the good of the town, nobody gets paid or gets expenses for the work they put in or the travel that may be involved in trying to achieve this, but we are all working for the good of the town and we invite everybody who is in a position to do to get involved,” he said.