€800,000 awarded to seven local community projects
A total of €800,000 has been awarded to seven County Wexford Community projects under the latest round of the Town & Village Renewal Scheme announced this morning.
The funding will be transformative to the communities of Ballymitty, Boolavogue, Clohamon, Riverchapel/Courtown, Clongeen, Our Lady’s Island and Taghmon.
Boolavogue received €97,934 for the restoration of a vacant national school into a digital hub and community garden.
Ballymitty received €200,000 (the maximum sum that can be awarded), for the construction of a multi-functional community resource and enterprise centre that will support community activities including a performance venue, community cafe and a shop.
€97,547 has been allocated for the development of a digital hub, walking trail restoration and a village square public realm space in Taghmon.
€100,000 has been provided to the Clongeen community hall committee to help develop the hall so it can provide remote working hub facilities, a training facility, weekend markets, a study hub and a community cafe.
Clohamon Community Development Group received €100,000 to complete the restoration of the village’s vacant school into a community centre, digital hub, training facility and playground.
Riverchapel and Courtown community group received €100,000 to create a 2km maritime trail linking the two urban centres and a picnic area space.
€100,000 was allocated to Our Lady’s Island community development committee to create a tourism experience featuring bespoke information panels, a way-marked pilgrimage path, heritage lighting for the castle and leaning tower.
The funding has been welcomed by Senator Malcolm Byrne as ‘a commitment to improving the quality of life of our communities’.
The funding is part of €15m in nationwide funding that will benefit 147 towns and villages and will fund a wide and diverse range of projects nationwide including walkways, community parks, outdoor cinemas, cycleways as well as the regeneration of derelict buildings and enhancement works at tourism attractions and other important local amenities.