HOPES FOR A NEW COMMUNITY HUB IN DONERAILE

The community in Doneraile have high hopes for the development of a new community hub, the Presentation Pastoral Centre. While plans for the development are still in a very early phase, the community is gearing up for the possibility of starting work on the new centre.

The site of the potential development is the Presentation Primary School, which was built in 1971. In 2015, the school closed when it merged with the CBS primary, in favour of creating a new, mixed primary school closer to Nagle Rice Secondary School.

The school has been closed for 5 years and now a repurposing has begun on the building to reutilise the space and offer a new facility to the community.

Parish priest, Father Aidan Crowley, told The Avondhu, “It’s a beautiful building and it would be a fantastic benefit to the parish.”

With a potential move on the cards, plans for the old community hall are also in discussions, however, nothing will be set in stone until further planning and progress is made on the new

Presentation Pastoral Centre.

“We are in the process of trying to sort things out at the minute,” Fr Crowley continued.

While Eamonn Horgan, former principal of Presentation Primary School who spent 21 years teaching there, welcomed the news.

“The pastoral centre is a good idea. There was a danger the building could be vandalised if it was left any longer.

WORK TO BE DONE

Speaking to The Avondhu, coordinator Garret Roche said: “We began looking at it about two or three months ago, it’s been sitting here idle and it’s a wonderful building.”

Once complete, the centre could house two resident groups, the Doneraile Active Retirement Group and the Doneraile Scouts and Cubs.

With a large hall facility, the centre aims to be self-sufficient by providing rooms and a hall for bookings and rent for a low fee. So far, groundwork has been carried out to clean up the surrounding area and make the building more accessible from the outside.

“The place still needs to be assessed electrically, there will be a massive bill bringing the place up to the modern standard,” Mr Roche added.

COMMUNITY SUPPORT

Many other works will need to also take place to ensure safety standards and that the centre can be opened to the public and begin servicing the community.

“We are currently in talks with Ballyhoura Rural Development regarding grants and funding to advance the programme for reopening. Currently we have no funding for the place and we’re starting with a zero balance,” Mr Roche said.

At the moment, the Presentation Pastoral Centre is in the process of obtaining quotes for the refurbishment process.

However, despite progress being made on the centre, until funding is secured, works could be stalled, and while the building itself is structurally sound, electrics, heating, and plumbing all need to be brought up to standard.

According to Mr Roche, the development team’s current focus is on securing funding and gaining local and public support for the project.

“What we need from the public right now is support in whatever way they can, be it financial or just coming to help out with work on the grounds,” he added.