Building for a bright new future in Rathmore
THE draft plans for the renewal of Rathmore is a cause for major excitement at the moment as years of campaigning to ensure the town gets the kind of public services, infrastructure and utilities it deserves – especially for a town with a large and growing population - have been gathering pace.
Funds are now in place for the project which was recently boosted by the allocation of a grant of €100,000 from the Town and Village Renewal Scheme; all of which are the first steps in bringing improvements that will benefit Rathmore for generations. Many local residents feel Rathmore has been left behind in terms of resources for far too long and the proposed works, once completed in their entirety, are expected to cost in the region of €1.3 million.
Among the proposals is a total revamp of the town’s façade, new seating, footpaths, landscaping, and traffic calming - all of which would encapsulate the kind of refurbishment needed to take Rathmore into the future as a confident, vibrant and rewarding place to live and work.
So far the plans have raised excitement among people who are said to be very enthusiastic and anxious to see the plans implemented and they will soon have an opportunity to view and debate them at a public meeting which takes place in the coming weeks.
“The plans have been drawn up and we’re hoping the works will begin by October 2018. We’ve been waiting for these changes for years which will improve aspects of public safety, street lighting, etc.,” said Brian Kelly, Chairman of Rathmore Community Council.
Brian insists these plans are vital to the future of Rathmore as it will not only benefit locals, but may also serve as a valuable starting point in attracting investment and jobs to the locality as good infrastructure is now a necessity for all potential investors.
“We recently had a big turnout of people to help sort out the Christmas lighting for the town and when this sort of effort is added to the great organisations we have in the likes of Rathmore Tidy Towns and the Social Action Group, it serves as a clear demonstration of the vibrancy there is in Rathmore,” Brian added.