Over half a million euro has been allocated to Galway to help combat dereliction and breathe new life into rural towns and villages.
The figure comes from the largest ever investment under the Town and Village Renewal Scheme which focuses on bringing life back into spaces like former banks, ballrooms, courthouses, convents, cinemas, Garda stations and FCA halls, for community use.
The funds will be spread out across six areas in the county, with figures of €50,000 to €250,000 being given to areas for town centre refurbishment and feasibility studies.
The breakdown for the allocation is as follows; €100,000 given to An Spideal for a street enhancement scheme to upgrade and enhance shopfronts and street facades in the village along with the “installation of outdoor picnic benches, benches at key locations across the village to build on the development of public outdoor dining and recreation spaces.
There is also €100,000 allocated to Portumna for street enhancement with specific attention on painting and attending any works needed to improve the visuals of the town centre both for residents and potential tourists to the area.
A quarter of a million has been given to Ballinasloe to refurbish a long-term vacant building in the city centre, with a plan to repurpose it as a remote/co-working hub. Tuam will see €100,000 of funding under the ‘Streetscape Enhancement Measure’ and Athenry and Casla have been allocated some €50,000 each under the ‘Project Development Measure’ which will see a feasibility study carried out in Casla and a planning package for the proposed Athenry Community Hub.
Speaking the announcement of the 2022 scheme where some €27 million has been allocated to rural areas across Ireland, Green Party Senator Pauline O’Reilly said that she is proud to be in a government which is committed to the regeneration of towns and villages.
“This is the largest ever investment under the Town and Village Renewal Scheme and will see Galway projects benefit, such as, a feasibility study for the development of Low Carbon Sustainable Centre of Excellence based in Casla”.
The feasibility study in Casla will be focusing on the development of a Low Carbon Sustainable Centre of Excellence, the allocated funds will include; a site selection survey, planning, a road traffic audits, procurement and development costs, admin costs as well as TIA, EIA reports and NIA.
