Substantial funding for local projects under Renewal Scheme
An allocation of €500,000 was announced on Friday for Mitchelstown under the Town and Village Renewal Scheme. The funding is to see a new Enterprise Hub development in the town's library building, featuring hot desks, own door offices and a meeting room.
Several other projects in the catchment received welcome announcements also, with €250,000 being earmarked for Ballyduff Upper, almost €200k in Ballyporeen for the renovation of the Old Schoolhouse, while in Glanmire, €125k will go towards a baseline health check and feasibility study.
Cllr Kay Dawson was delighted with the significant funding announcement for the library space in Mitchelstown and welcomed the building as a ‘ great asset’ for the town. The project had been mentioned at a Fermoy MD meeting last September, but the funding was only confirmed last week.
Cllr Frank O’Flynn said that he expected kitting out of the building would happen imminently.
“It’s an ideal spot. With a separate entrance, it’ll be great for lots of people in the locality. People can study or just go in to fill out forms, and I welcome the announcement very much.”
BALLYDUFF PROJECT
Dereliction in Ballyduff Upper is set to be tackled further with the help of a €250,000 allocation through the scheme. Also announced on Friday, funding was allocated to the West Waterford village to bring a vacant, derelict storehouse in the village centre back to life.
This project will see the building used as a multi-purpose space incorporating a shop, café, youth hub and gym, along with remote working and conferencing facilities.
Funding under the scheme is to go towards the project which recently received planning permission from Waterford City and County Council for the redevelopment of a general storage building known locally as McCarthy’s Storehouse, located on the Fermoy approach.
It is understood that fundraising efforts for the project, which will help rejuvenate the village, will continue.
Waterford allocations under the scheme were welcomed by Minister for Mental Health and Older People, Mary Butler, who described the Ballyduff Upper allocation as ‘potentially game changing’ for the area.
“Great credit is due to the Waterford communities who worked together with Waterford City & County Council who put forward really ambitious projects which will make a such a lasting difference in these towns and villages.
“These projects have the potential to revitalise town centres and boost local economies through increased footfall and activity. Remote working hubs mitigate the need for long commutes to the likes of Dublin and Cork, ensuring a better work-life balance for career people and young families,” Minister Butler said.
SEVERAL PROJECTS IN BALLYPOREEN PLANNED
Meanwhile, in County Tipperary, Ballyporeen received a €198,000 allocation towards the renovation of the Old Schoolhouse. The community council, working in partnership with Scoil Teampall Toinne, have been awarded 90% of the cost of their project, and will have to raised the remaining €22,000 themselves. Community Council chairman, James Hackett, said that the group had been ‘striving’ to regenerate Ballyporeen’s centre to make it more attractive to business, as well as making it a great place to live.
“We have had considerable success in recent years with the community group fundraising and purchasing a derelict site in the town centre, now converted to a sensory garden. We have also been working hard with the Tipperary County Council and have built a strong working relationship with regards to co-operative enhancement of our area and improving infrastructure.”
The cost of their project in total will be €220,000 so the grant of €198,000 will substantially cover the necessary works. The fit-out will include space for the many clubs and social groups in the area, as well as high-speed broadband and remote working space.
The community council particularly welcomed the positive impact the funding represents in bringing a derelict building back into use as a multi-functional space, not just for community use, but also as a commercial centre.
The announcement comes just a week after the school were granted €113,000 for a multi-purpose Astroturf facility, and the Ballyporeen-Skeheenarinky GAA Field Development group received €132,207 for an all-weather pitch.
School principal Shane Molan is looking forward to the development of the Old Schoolhouse.
“This will be a great project, bringing new life back to a building that has served the locality well since 1899, but unfortunately has fallen into disrepair since its closure in 2001. The location is also excellent, and the renovation will be greatly beneficial to the school and community.”
There will be a public meeting in the near future to discuss the projects in Ballyporeen.
GLANMIRE
A new community hub centre could be on the cards for Glanmire as €125,000 was allocated under the scheme to conduct a baseline health check and feasibility study.
Enhancements hoped for at John O’Callaghan Park with the funding include directional signage throughout the park, additional bike racks, upgrading of playground equipment and other works.
OUR RURAL FUTURE
Almost €18.5 million was announced in total to benefit rural towns and villages the length and breadth of the country.
The funding is being provided under the Town and Village Renewal Scheme as part of Our Rural Future and places a strong emphasis on projects which tackle vacancy and dereliction, by bringing landmark town centre buildings back to life.
Since the introduction of the scheme in 2016, almost €94 million has been approved for more than 1,300 projects across the country. It has supported a range of activities from improving the public realm to job creation initiatives, such as the development of enterprise hubs and remote working facilities. These projects have been identified by local community groups and businesses, in conjunction with their Local Authorities.