Committee to encourage reopening
MEMBERS of Bray Municipal District received a report on ‘Bray Town Reopening Committee’ at last Tuesday’s meeting in the town hall.
Leas Cathaoirleach Cllr Aoife Flynn Kennedy was chairing the meeting. ‘Some really positive stuff has been done by that committee,’ she said.
Cllr Melanie Corrigan commended the committee, the work they had done and the positivity generated. The Bray Reopening Committee is a joint initiative with local stakeholders across the community, including members of Bray Chamber of Commerce, the Health Service Executive and An Garda Síochána to plan for a considered, responsible return to civic life which is vital to help to restart the local economy in the town.
This is in line with the Government’s phased roadmap for reopening the country socially and economically.
The committee focused on understanding best practices, planning for protections and protocols that businesses and the community will need in place in order to feel confident about resuming activities, once the Covid-19 restrictions are lifted, while emphasising a message that as a society, we all have a collective responsibility to ensure that reopening proceeds smoothly and safely.
They looked at workable solutions for businesses to reopen safely. They included how to queue safely in public spaces, delivery times, waste collection times, and temporary changes in the town centre for pedestrian safety. They included widening paths, pedestrianises zones, signage, removal of some on-street parking, one-way systems, relocating bus stops and the removal of street furniture.
The committee also founded the ‘Shop Local First’ marketing campaign, and focused on business an public consultation, a cleaning and maintenance regime, and the promotion of positive mental health and well-being.
‘It is now clear we are on a slow and careful journey of recovery, but we’re determined to get the balance right so that interconnected pillars, namely the economic, social, environmental and cultural dimensions of the town can once again prosper,’ read the report.
Some of the initiatives implemented include a dedicated information hub at bray.ie/covid19updates or bray.ie/covid19businessinfohub; free temporary ground graphics; Unity in Our Community flags and positivity stones; a tourism campaign; and a beacon of hope shining from the foothills of Bray Head.
A presentation was also made to Paul Reid and HSE representatives on behalf of Bray Air Display and Wicklow County Council to recognise the dedication of frontline workers during the Covid-19 Pandemic.
Bray Chamber, Wicklow County Council and Bray.ie are collaborating on the initiatives.