Plans to redevelop the Coole Park Visitor Centre are about to go to tender, with plans well advanced to create a state of the art visitor experience at the South Galway location.
Speaking to the Advertiser, Deputy Ciaran Cannon said that Minister Malcolm Noonan has confirmed to him this week that the tender process is imminent.
“He has told me that the National Parks and Wildlife Service are partnering with Fáilte Ireland in redeveloping the visitor centre at Coole and are about to go to tender for the establishment of a design team for the project,” said Deputy Cannon.
“I’m very grateful to Minister Noonan, who has prioritised this project and is anxious to see major investment in the Coole-Garryland Nature Reserve, in particular at the existing visitor centre.
“The NPWS and Failte Ireland commissioned a piece of research last year to determine the expectations and needs of visitors to Coole and that research will now inform the design process of the visitor centre,” he said.
“We will shortly have an architect-led team in place to do the design and planning phase, and then we move on to planning and construction. The Minister is very committed to this project, as am I,” said Deputy Cannon.
“Coole is a wonderful resource for both locals and visitors and with the impending opening of the Athlone to Galway greenway, which will pass through the Coole-Garryland Reserve, we will see an even greater need for excellent visitor facilities. I’ll be working with Minister Noonan to see this project through to completion,” he concluded.
The Lady Gregory-YeatsAutumn Gathering committee, who for so long advocated such a development, are delighted with the news and congratulate Ciaron Cannon, the NPWS and Niall Ó Donnchú, Assistant Secretary, Heritage Division, Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage for their help and encouragement throughout the process so far.
A spokesperson for the group said they look forward to the successful completion of the project and creating a unique visitor experience at Coole Park which is visited by hundreds of thousands of people every year.
