The issue of the gradient on the new footpath on Castle Street was raised at the June meeting of Castlebar Town Council. Cllr Michael Kilcoyne told the meeting that he had representations about the gradient on the footpath changing. Cllr Frank Durcan also told the meeting it had been changed and made steeper and would be very difficult for someone to get up the hill with a wheelchair. However town manager Seamus Granahan told the meeting, “The gradient hasn’t changed at all, the road has been raised all right but the gradient hasn’t change. There is a strict formula that is used in relation to where the entrance to the doorways in the shop and houses are and that hasn’t changed.”
Council in discussions over laneways on Main Street
Independent councillor Frank Durcan asked what the current situation was in relation to the laneways off Main Street in Castlebar following the rejuvenation works in the heart of the town. Town manager Seamus Granahan told the meeting that he had an agreement with one of the holders of the right of way in the laneways and was in discussions with the other people involved and would be meeting them individually.
Mixed feedback from councillors on Main Street works
Labour councillor Harry Barrett told the meeting that he had positive feedback from a lot of people in the town about the improvement works in the town. “There has been a lot of positive feedback from people about Main Street, especially from mothers who are now finding it much easier to negotiate the street with pushchairs and prams,” he said.
However, Fianna Fáil councillor Blackie Gavin told the meeting that there were effects of the refurbishment works on business on the street. “We have seen Wynnes close recently, which was there for 147 years, one of the big effects on the business there was that people couldn’t park during the works. Also Irwin’s closed down recently and they were another longstanding family owned business in the town.”
