GORT, Dunmore and Maree have received a major funding boost after Minister for Rural and Community Development, Heather Humphreys TD (FG) announced an allocation of €750,000 to Galway County Council under the Town and Village Renewal Scheme.
Separate funding allocations of €250,000 have been granted to the Streetscape Enhancement Scheme for Gort Town Centre, for essential renovations to Maree Community Centre, and the upgrade and renewal of Dunmore Hall in the historic north Galway village.
The Gort scheme allocation has been warmly welcomed by the local community and follows an application by the Gort Town Team with the support of Galway County Council’s Town Regeneration Officer.
Working with the Gort Town Team, the local authority says it will shortly launch a grant incentive scheme for property owners and tenants in the town centre to assist in the restoration of traditional shopfronts, paint the façade of properties, upgrade lighting in a sensitive manner and declutter premises. Individual Property Owners and Tenants in the designated streets will be able to apply for funding to directly upgrade their shopfronts.
Actions set out in the Gort Town Centre First Plan have resulted in the funding, Cllr Liam Carroll (FG), Cathaoirleach of Galway County Council explained. He said this is “a short-term proposal which could have a huge beneficial impact on the local economy and will facilitate business and residents to work together to improve the overall appearance of the town centre”.
Cllr Carroll continued, “I am delighted to see direct investment from the Town and Village Renewal Scheme for projects that have come from local communities and the volunteers and local leaders who have tirelessly managed local facilities. Maree community centre provides much needed service for older people in the community to socialise and take part in community activity as well as indoor sporting and meeting facilities, and this investment will allow the Group to procure needed repairs and upgrades to continue their work.”
Liam Conneally, Chief Executive of Galway County Council commented, “These projects are all about making our rural towns and villages great places to live, work and raise a family. I want to thank the local communities who brought forward these proposals and worked with our staff in Town Regeneration and in Rural and Community Schemes to develop applications to the Town and Village Renewal Scheme. I look forward to seeing work move now to direct grant offers to the communities and project move to procurement stage for capital works”.
Jackie Carroll, Director of Services with Galway County Council said, “The three local projects in receipt of funding will help to breathe new life into their respective communities and we look forward to works getting underway in the coming months. The investment is being provided to Galway County Council under the Town and Village Renewal Scheme with a particular emphasis on the revitalisation of rural town centres, which is a key objective of the Our Rural Future and Town Centre First Policies”.
