Community centre to be scaled down

THE Council may have to build a scaled-down version of the long-awaited new community centre in Cranmore due to a ¤1.1m funding shortfall.

Councillor Chris MacManus was told by Director of Services Bartley Gavin that the Council had sought ¤6.8m but only ¤5.7 m was approved.

Cllr MacManus told the meeting that from looking at the plans, the new centre would be “the kind of facility that will be nominated for National Design Awards.”

While he was thankful for the funding, he wanted to know would the shortfall affect the design and delivery of the centre, which was first mooted in the mid-2000s.

Gavin replied that the shortfall would be “challenging” and “in reality, not feasible.” “There are funds to be sought there,” he said. “The design cannot be delivered with that reduction that they’re seeking,” he said.

He told members that the Department always said they would only make a contribution to the project, not fund it entirely.

“We’ ll have to cut back a little and go after other sources of funding,” he added.

Councillor MacManus admitted the news was “slightly disappointing”, even though it was “great to see that we’re at this stage.”

“It’s disappointing to hear we may have to pull back a little on what the community have signed up to,” he said.

He said the designed centre would “set a Gold Standard for Regeneration Projects throughout the State” which would promote engagement on all sides of the community.

Cathaoirleach of the County Council, Cllr Martin Baker said: “The reality is that whoever is going to come in to the next Council is going to have to make hard choices, such as raising property tax.” This would help fund such projects in his view.