Group’s significant impact on the community is highlighted
COURTOWN Community Council (CCC) held their AGM in Riverchapel Community Centre recently.
To kick off the meeting, Chairperson Linda Sinnott welcomed everyone and formally congratulated Riverchapel Community Complex on their recent €1.8million funding to build a new Community Centre up at the sports complex.
Secretary Clair Swinburne took attendees through the minutes of last year’s AGM, the Secretary’s Report and Valerie Boylan read the Treasurer’s Report. Attendees raised their concerns regarding the lack of bins in the area, unfinished footpaths, a site for a new Courtown/Arklow Coast Guard Station, access issues from housing estates and a call to link the Courtown and Ballymoney Walking Trails, all which we will endeavour to follow up.
The CCC’s achievements from the previous year were highlighted including the establishment of a Heritage Group, the launch of the Smart Village Report which lead to the formation of the Courtown Regeneration Partnership, a working group dedicated to the regeneration and revitalisation of Courtown/ Riverchapel.
Throughout the year, CCC have collaborated with various organizations such as FDYS and Seal Rescue Ireland as well as litter picks, tree planting days, clean water events and citizen science data collection surveys.
CCC supported initiatives like the Alzheimer’s Society’s Memory Walk and participated in workshops to make Courtown/ Riverchapel a dementia-friendly village.
Last year, CCC facilitated a Crime Prevention evening with the Chief Superintendent local Garda inspector and members of the local community policing team.
Following that, they attended the official opening of the linked walkway, the installation of a new picnic area, bus shelter and upgrade works to the lower seating area along the harbour wall.
Funding was allocated from both ORIS and the National Walks Scheme to upgrade the registered Walking Trails in Courtown.
With funding allocated from Pobal and the Community Resilience Grant in 2023, they purchased two trail information stands and an image board showcasing the walks in the area.
Coastal erosion is a serious concern in the area as Courtown has lost up to 27metres of soft shoreline in places and 20metres in others. On average Courtown’s coastline is losing 1 to 1.5metres annually due to extreme weather events.
In May 2023, CCC partnered with four Gorey District councillors and raised several questions to Wexford County Council regarding the proposed ‘section 138’, which involved the disposal of Courtown’s primary public car park which is adjacent to 60acres of protected woodland.
Despite assurances of an opportunity to submit observations during the planning process the decision to move forward with the Courtown Land Swap, proposed by Cllr Donal Kenny and seconded by Cllr Anthony Donohoe, at the June meeting of Wexford County Council without addressing any of the community’s concerns.
CCC were nominated in the Best Charity category in this year’s Gorey Business Awards and won for the third year in a row at the Keep Wexford Beautiful Awards.
Furthermore, CCC were one of two communities in Wexford that received funding from the Community Foundation of Ireland to establish a Circular Economy Plan to help reduce waste entering landfill. Courtown/Riverchapel was recently allocated €30,000 towards a Towns First Regeneration Plan.
To help establish a community/tourist office in Courtown, CCC have submitted a Harbour Hub business plan to Wexford County Council and they currently have two funding applications pending to help secure this project.
CCC also thanked Philip O’Connor and all the CE Workers, Courtown Tidy Towns, Amanda and Conor from Courtown Kiltennel Walking Trail maintenance crew and Cody from the Summer Beach Cleaning Crew, for their hard work over the past year.