Senator Aisling Dolan - Strong Voice, New Vision.

Fantastic investment in Towns & Villages across County Galway

December 14, 2022

Fantastic investment in Towns & Villages across County Galway

 

3 Main Scheme Towns Ballinasloe, Portumna & An Spidéal

Streetscape Enhancement Tuam

2 Project Developments – Casla & Athenry

Senator Aisling Dolan welcomed funding of €650,000 for six towns and villages across County Galway from the Towns and Villages Renewal fund. This was announced today by Minister Heather Humphreys at the Department of Rural & Community Development.

The Fine Gael Senator stated

“ The Towns & Villages Renewal fund is to support investment in towns with a population under 10,000 people. It is part of government’s ‘Our Rural Future’ Strategy to invest in regional areas.

“Ballinasloe, Portumna and An Spidéal are well-deserving winners today of the Main Scheme under Towns and Villages Renewal. Tuam is selected as the town in County Galway under Streetscape Enhancement and 2 successful project development in Casla and Athenry for feasibility, planning & design”

“I’m delighted that the Ballinasloe Enterprise Centre and BACD has won a quarter of a million in funding to further develop the Pulse Hub. This fund today of €250,000 will ensure the refurbishment of the former vacant Bank Chambers building on Society Street to become a hub of life and activity.

“A number of years ago I supported the Ballinasloe Enterprise Centre on the Just Transition application which brought initial funds of €490,000 to this project. From January 2021, the group have brought this project through design stage and the tender process with a target for construction and refurbishment works in 2023. With a goal of bringing 40 more people to come and work locally from Ballinasloe town. To thank Centre Manager Lyn Donnelly, Chair Séamus Duffy and all the team as well as the voluntary board-members for the drive and commitment to see this project come to fruition and deliver for the community of Ballinasloe.”

“The goal of the Towns and Villages Renewal fund is to bring vacant or derelict buildings in our town-centres back to life. Currently Ballinasloe Enterprise Centre has close to 30 client companies that avail of office space at the Centre in Creagh. It is also part of the national Connected Hubs network.

“The Pulse Hub project is about developing a further remote working Hub in the town to support start-ups, enterprise, people working from Ballinasloe and in need of a hotdesk. This new building of 6,000sq ft will bring over 16 new offices, meeting room spaces as well as hotdesks to the town-centre. It adds to the dynamic Pulse Club a network of entrepreneurs and people with ideas that work to support each other such as the ShopBallinasloe.ie initiative”

“I want to pay tribute to BACD – Ballinasloe Area Community Development, the Town Team and over 200 volunteers that work with the team to bring so many projects to life that make us all feel part of a community. The free Ballinasloe Life magazine delivered through our doors thanks to help from students in town has been a huge success thanks to editor Colm Croffy and team of journalists. A new Halloween event in Garbally has really taken off and scary volunteers on the Zombie Walk make children young & old scream in terror and delight! The Town Team led by Anita Tuohy is promoting sustainability and energy efficiency for our town. The Christmas Lights Committee fundraise to make our town shine with new lights and decorations. All of these projects make Ballinasloe very special and it’s thanks to each and every volunteer that gives the gift of time to our town.”

“Galway County Council, the Local Enterprise Office, the Western Development Commission are among agencies that have supported the Enterprise Centre as well as partnerships established with universities in the region such as TUS in Athlone and University of Galway.

“Portumna and An Spidéal have won funding for street enhancement funding which will be a boost for local businesses and promote tourism. It really gives a great lift when there is painting works in a town. Congratulations to the teams and volunteers who have come together to win this funding for County Galway”

 Minister Heather Humphreys stated

“I am delighted to announce a record €27million in funding under my Department’s Town and Village Renewal Scheme.

“This is all about tackling the scourge of vacancy and dereliction in our rural towns and villages.

“It’s about taking old buildings and giving them a new lease of life.

“And it’s about rejuvenating the centre of our towns by developing public plazas, town parks, community gardens and sports facilities for the benefit of local families.

“This investment today will breathe new life into rural towns and villages across every single county.

“It’s the largest ever investment under the Town and Village Renewal Scheme and demonstrates my passion and ambition for our rural communities.”

 “Today I am giving the green light for works to commence in the 26 towns selected under the Streetscapes Enhancement Initiative.

 “From Bagenalstown to Ballinlough, this initiative will provide retailers and property owners with grants that they can use to improve the facades of their buildings, carry out artwork or install features such as street furniture or canopies.”

 “This is a new initiative that I introduced as part of Our Rural Future. The response has been hugely positive to date and I look forward to seeing works commence in these 26 towns.

 “Finally I am delighted to sanction €1.56 million for pre-development work on 33 projects to help with the costs of developing these applications so that they are shovel ready for future funding calls.