The BMW Regional Assembly has been awarded the best Strategic Economic Development project at the Chambers Ireland Excellence in Local Government Awards.
At a ceremony in Dublin last week the award was accepted by Councillor Joe Flanagan, cathaoirleach of the BMW Regional Assembly, who said it marked the positive impact that the structural funds investment in the BMW Region is having on the economic development of the region.
The award was in recognition of the Assembly’s allocation of €17.15m under the European Regional Development Fund to urban development and regeneration projects in the Gateways and Hub Towns in the BMW region. The aim of the Gateway and Hubs Grant Scheme is to support investments that contribute to enhancing the attractiveness of the Gateways and Hub Towns as places to live, work, and invest in. All project proposals were required to demonstrate they had obtained community support through a wide public consultation process; and had the support of relevant elected councils and contribute positively to community life.
Under the allocation the Mayo Hub Towns of Castlebar and Ballina were each awarded €1.4m. In Ballina, this is to fund the refurbishment of Pearse Street along with the addition of a link road to Market Square and the refurbishment of a former bank on Pearse Street to house the Jackie Clarke Library and Archives. In Castlebar, the funding is to go towards town centre streetscape refurbishment and the development of the river walk as an amenity corridor.
