‘Project ACT’ sees county council take direct action to rebuild local economy
SEVERAL towns across North and Mid have been included in the Cork Cork County Council initiative to help communities and businesses to deal with the impact of COVID-19
Cork County Council has unveiled a significant suite of measures to support communities, businesses and industry as they look to recover from the impact of COVID-19. Project ‘ACT’, or Activating County Towns, will see newly formed Town Teams working on individual plans designed to stimulate and support the economy.
Mallow, Kanturk, Newmarket, Charleville, Buttevant, Fermoy, Mitchelstown, Macroom and Millstreet have all bee included in the initiative.
Project ‘ACT’ will see the creation of multi-sectoral teams with a targeted focus on rebuilding the economy and community life in their areas.
As a first step, a fund worth €6 million has been committed to support community, festival, events and town enhancement works. This will be used to build upon the remarkable community resilience that has been sustained since restrictions were introduced in mid-March.
Some of the immediate actions being taken include:
•
A deep clean of the main retail and pedestrian areas
• Decluttering and fixing street furniture
• Replanting of trees and flowerbeds
• Additional road/pavement markings
• Measures to improve public space utilisation for pedestrians and business
In preparation for the phased return of business and community life, the Town Teams have been working to introduce specific enhanced physical distancing and pedestrian friendly zones in each location. This will include the inclusion of additional footpath space, some changes to traffic flow and outdoor supports for businesses requiring socially distanced queueing.
Cork County Council has been engaging with Elected Members of
Council, business and community leaders to collaborate on how best to implement these changes, and support businesses looking to re-open safely at the appropriate time.
County Mayor Councillor Ian Doyle has welcomed the initiative, saying; “Cork County Council will work closely with communities and businesses as we manage our way out of the current crisis. Our message is simple - Cork County Council will walk with you on every step of the road to recovery.
“Activating our County Towns will reward the civic pride that has resulted in stronger communities, and an optimism that this strength will see us through.
The Council can also reaffirm its commitment to its County-wide investment programme in towns and villages to ensure they can maximise the potential for future growth. During the COVID-19 period, Cork County Council finalised a loan agreement with the Council of Europe Development Bank. This is in addition to the loan facility from the European Investment Bank, which had previously been secured to fund the County Social Sustainability Programme.
Project ACT will also see funding released through a mix of capital investment and business supports designed to help stimulate the Cork economy during the phased lifting of the COVID-19 lockdown. This will also prime the economy for future growth.
Chief executive of Cork County Council, Tim Lucey, said: “There are many challenges that lie ahead, but by taking this action now and investing in our communities and our businesses, we can plan with a degree of confidence. From making public spaces suitable for social distancing, to supporting businesses through various initiatives, Cork County Council will do everything it can to support the entire community.
“This is the first time in the Council’s history that activity of this scale has been focused directly on towns and their communities. Our staff will work directly with businesses and communities, as we weather this storm. We started this together, and we will finish it together.”
A full list of the topline actions being undertaken by Cork County Council will be available for the public to view at https://www.corkcoco.ie/en. Each of the activities is subject to any change in public health guidelines as advised by the HSE and the Department of Health.
Members of the public or business owners who have questions or who feel they can assist in the initiative can contact the Council directly via https://www.yourcouncil.ie.