*Pictured at the launch of Ennis as an Age Friendly Town are (l-r): Carmel Kirby, Director of Service, Ennis Municipal District; Pat Dowling, Chief Executive, Clare County Council; Cllr Ann Norton (IND), Mayor of Ennis Municipal District; Chief Superintendent Sean Colleran, An Garda Síochána; Leonore O’Neill, Ennis Municipal District and Chair, Ennis Age Friendly Town Team; and Larry Hally, Clare Older People’s Council. Photograph: Eamon Ward.
Ennis has been launched as the county’s first age friendly town.
As part of the Clare Age Friendly Strategy, Ennis is joining the national Age Friendly Cities and Counties Programme which aims to make Ireland a truly great place in which to grow old. The Ennis Age Friendly Town initiative is built on the recognition of the valuable role that older people can and should play in shaping their communities for the better. Friday’s launch was held at The Old Ground Hotel.
Shared surfaces, table-top crossing points, dropped kerbs, pedestrian crossings, age-friendly seating areas and parking spaces are some of the projects under development in the town by Ennis Municipal District.
Mayor of Ennis, Cllr Ann Norton (IND) believed the initiative “seeks to proactively address the needs of older citizens and build an age-friendly society. A safe, friendly town with good accessibility and facilities is a good place for children, families of all ages, people living with disabilities and visitors to the town”.
Clare has “made great progress in future proofing the county for its ageing population,” Pat Dowling, Chair of the Clare Age Friendly Alliance and Chief Executive of Clare County Council maintained. “The development of Ennis as the first Age Friendly Town in Clare is a great achievement”.
Developing public spaces to benefit older people has brought delight to the elderly, Larry Hally, Clare Older People’s Council felt. “We believe that Ennis as an Age Friendly Town will benefit everyone in the community, not just the older people”.
President of Ennis Chamber of Commerce, Darragh McAllister welcomed the introduction of the age-friendly business initiative as part of the project. “This initiative includes 15 businesses already in Ennis who are developing actions that will provide a better service to their older customers. We are aiming to grow this initiative going forward and any businesses wishing to participate can contact Ennis Chamber,” he explained.
