Amid public pressure and following four hours of intense discussion, Ballinasloe town councillors agreed this week to adopt a revised version of the controversial Town Enhancement Scheme.
Councillors arriving at Tuesday evening’s meeting in the civic offices were met by a crowd of up to 150 local business people and protestors, who carried placards urging the councillors to vote against the plan.
The scheme was carried by a majority of five votes to three, but will be subject to a number of amendments, chief among which are a reduction in the number of trees and an increase in the number of parking spaces available.
Cllr Carmel Grealy (Ind ) proposed the adoption of the plan, subject to a number of amendments, including the removal of planned trees at several locations in order to create a straight run of parking along Dunloe Street, Main Street, and Society Street. She also proposed that parallel parking, without individually marked spaces, be introduced on all three streets in order to maximise parking space.
However Cllr Cathal Concannon (FG ) said that, as a retailer in the town, he was “dismayed and disappointed at the lack of thought” that had gone into the plan.
“There is total disregard for our concerns and worries. The plan lends nothing to our type of retail, and this council will be directly responsible for a loss of jobs,” he said.
Cllr Concannon made a counter-proposal that the street format be kept as it is, with streets and footpaths resurfaced where necessary, overhead cables placed underground, no trees planted, and parking to remain as it is currently. He also felt there were too many pedestrian crossings, which would hinder the progress of traffic through the town.
“This is what business people want and have lobbied for. Why are we so intent on enforcing something people don’t want?” he asked.
However Cllr Grealy argued that Cllr Concannon was proposing a completely different plan, which would involved starting the planning process all over again.
“We cannot vote on an alternative plan. We have got 85 per cent of what you want into the plan. What you have suggested has been taken on board, with the exception that you don’t want the streets changed at all,” she said.
Cllr Pat O’Sullivan (FF ), who had earlier seconded Cllr Grealy’s proposal, pointed out that once a proposed overhaul of the town’s water services was carried out, the streets were going to be different anyway.
“We have a chance to do something for the town, and we are practically talking about the same thing,” he said.
Despite a warning from Ballinasloe town manager Kevin Kelly that removing pedestrian crossings would go against the recommendations of the Road Safety Audit which had fed into the plan, councillors decided to take two crossings out of the plan - the proposed crossings in the centre of Society Street and Dunloe Street.
There was also heated discussion over the signage proposed in the enhancement scheme, with some councillors concerned they would direct traffic away from the town centre, to the detriment of local businesses.
There was agreement among councillors that the decision marked a defining moment for the town.
“Our challenge as a council and the challenge of business people is to try and get extra people coming into Ballinasloe, to regenerate the town centre and increase its attractiveness,” said mayor Mike Kelly (Ind ).
“We’re never going to please everyone - do we undertake to do what we think is best for the town, or do we just forget about it? We wouldn’t be doing our duty if we missed this opportunity,” said Cllr Grealy.
However Cllr Aidan McGrath (FG ) countered “If most of the people in the town are against something we must be doing something wrong,” he said.
And Cllr Jerry Broderick felt the proposed scheme would damage the character of the town centre. “I think it pulls the heart out of the town, it kills the character of Ballinasloe,” he said.
Cllrs Mike Kelly (Ind ), Pat O’Sullivan (FF ), Carmel Grealy (Ind ), Lucy Lloyd-Keighery (FF ), and Johnny Walsh (Ind ) voted in favour of the amended plan, while Cllrs Jerry Broderick (FG ), Cathal Concannon (FG ), and Aidan McGrath (FG ) voted against the proposal. Sinn Féin’s Cllr Matt Ganly abstained from the vote.
