*The closed community centre in John Paul Estate, Kilrush.
TEN years on from initial calls to reopen the community centre in John Paul Estate, Kilrush, a new funding application has breathed new hope that the facility can be brought back to life.
In October of this year, a funding application was submitted to the Housing Finance Agency by Clare County Council with the support of Cllr Ian Lynch (IND) to initiate necessary works. The local authority has committed to give match funding if this bid is successful.
Back in October 2012, Cllr Lynch then an elected representative on Kilrush Town Council first raised hope that the community centre would be used by local groups in the near future.
Interest has recently been expressed by the Community Substance Misuse Team for the Mid-West into using the John Paul Estate community centre as a location for outreach support in Kilrush. Other agencies have been approached by the Council to asses their interest in working from the centre.
Cathaoirleach of the West Clare Municipal District, Cllr Cillian Murphy (FF) at its most recent meeting asked that an investigation be undertaken “into the scope of any works necessary to reopen the community centre in John Paul Est Kilrush, their costs, and a projected timeline for a schedule of those works, including any phases, that would facilitate its opening as soon as possible”.
Acting senior executive officer, John O’Malley advised that the Council had been “for some time” considering the works and associated costs required to reopen the centre plus its potential uses. “This will require bringing the existing, unused Community Centre building up to current regulatory standards for public liability insurance purposes. Clare County Council’s Design Team have prepared technical drawings and costings in relation to the electrical upgrade works required,” he stated.
“It is closed and it’s not good enough, several millions of euros were spent across the road doing the Vandeleur Walled Gardens and the Turret Lodge, I’m not saying it should be either or but it is not good enough to not use this community facility,” Cllr Murphy remarked. He admitted that he was unaware of the level of work done by Cllr Lynch on advancing plans for future uses.
Cllr Lynch said he was “surprised” to see the motion tabled. He felt Cllr Murphy did not look at the sustainability of reopening the centre “which is unlike you”. The Kilrush man added, “It was deliberately kept off the table because the community had been let down on so many occasions. Weeks went by without a solution, the community lost trust in us, we kept it off the table because we didn’t want them to lose more trust”.
Praise for the “huge work done” by rural development officer Margaret Cotter was voiced by Cllr Lynch. “I don’t want the meeting to portray that this is going to happen shortly but this is the closest we’ve been in a long time and there is huge interest in it”.
In response, Cllr Murphy said he was committed to provide annual resources through his General Municipal Allocation if there was no users or backbone to support the facility. “I will put my money or the Council’s money where my mouth is,” the Kilkee representative quipped.
