High Street is set to become a one-way route by 2014, following a planned €1.6 million overhaul of the road and pavements running through Kilkenny’s historic Hightown.
The revamp aims to extend the ‘public realm experience of the Parade Project’ into High Street and Parliament Street.
The project will be implemented in two phases – the first involving renovation to six separate parts of the street, which is to go ahead next year. The second phase is ‘footpath widening’, which will be undertaken in 2014, after the new bridge is constructed under the Central Access Scheme. At this point, the one-way system will come into effect.
A report detailing the works, which include re-paving and re-texturing of footpaths and replacement of street lighting, was given to borough council members at this week’s meeting.
“The medieval streets of central Kilkenny are narrow with narrow traffic carriageways and narrow footpaths and there can be a sense of domination by traffic together with inadequate standards of footpaths giving rise to a poor tourist experience,” the report finds.
The overhaul of High Street is part of the ‘Medieval Mile’ project, which represents an investment of €8.5 million for the city, some of which it is hoped will be supplied by Failte Ireland. The project consists of four new major tourism attractions in Kilkenny, to develop the city’s ‘spine’ – between Kilkenny Castle and St Canice’s Cathedral.
The other works include the refurbishment of St Mary’s Church, a new facility for the Butler Gallery, as well as renovations at the Kilkenny Design Centre Complex.
St Mary’s Church and graveyard will be refurbished and developed to museum standard, with an exhibition facility to house heritage and historic collections. The project has the support of the National Museum.
The Butler Gallery’s new facility will house an important collection of Irish and international works dating from the 1800s, and strengthen the gallery’s ability to provide outreach services to develop the arts.
Meanwhile, the Design Centre Complex will benefit from improvements made to its open spaces in order to strenghten visitor appeal.
The Medieval Mile is the area between Kilkenny Castle and St Canice’s Cathedral – encompassing Irishtown, Parliament Street, High Street and the Parade, and the various attractions and buildings along this route. The objective of the planned works is to create new infrastructure to build on Kilkenny’s heritage and cultural appeal, and to draw and maintain more visitors to the city.
