(Photo caption: DOS Galway County Council Liam Hanrahan, Town Regeneration Officer Hazel Fox, Yvette Keating North West Regional Assembly, Cllr Andrew Reddington, CEO of Galway County Council Liam Conneally,
Martina Flanagan and Patrick Devine, North West Regional Assembly at the launch of the Ballinasloe Town Centre First plan.)
Galway County Council launched the Ballinasloe Town Centre First Plan recently in the Enterprise Hub on Society Street. The event marked an important milestone in the ongoing regeneration of the town centre and brought together local representatives, community stakeholders and project partners involved in shaping the plan.
The plan has been developed through the Government’s Town Centre First Policy. It is funded by the Northern and Western Regional Assembly through the European Regional Development Fund under the THRIVE programme. (THRIVE, the Town Centre First Heritage Revival Scheme, supports locally developed plans that take a strategic approach to town centre regeneration). Anyone interested in viewing the plan can contact lyn@bacd.ie to get a full copy.
The plan provides a community-led framework for revitalising the town centre, supporting economic and social development, addressing vacancy and dereliction, and strengthening Ballinasloe’s role as a key urban centre in east County Galway.
The Town Centre First Policy is a national regeneration framework designed to tackle long-term decline in town centres across Ireland and reposition towns. Locally, the plan builds on the town’s existing strengths while identifying practical opportunities to support renewal, enhance public spaces, promote active travel, celebrate local heritage and culture, and bring renewed focus to the heart of the town.
The plan is a non-statutory framework, the purpose of which is to help prioritise and sequence the delivery of town centre objectives in a coordinated and phased manner, creating a strong pipeline of regeneration projects
that can be progressed through appropriate funding opportunities. It was developed in partnership
between Galway County Council’s Town Regeneration Officer and Regeneration Team, the Ballinasloe Town Team, consultants The Paul Hogarth Company, elected members of the Ballinasloe Municipal District, and the wider local community. Public engagement formed a central part of the process and helped shape the projects and priorities identified in the final plan.
The plan identifies seven key projects focused on the future of the town centre. These projects include the Fair Green Masterplan; River Suck Linear Park; redesign of The Square; development of a Ballinasloe Stories Centre; measures to address vacant and derelict buildings; Healthy Streets walking and cycling strategies; and a coordinated Town Centre Neighbourhood and Backlands Masterplan approach.
Speaking at the launch, Mr Liam Conneally, Chief Executive of Galway County Council, said: “The Ballinasloe Town Centre First Plan provides a clear and practical framework for supporting the long-term regeneration of the town centre. It reflects the ambition of the local community and sets out a strong pipeline of projects that can help attract investment, enhance public spaces and strengthen Ballinasloe as a vibrant place to live, work and visit.”
Martina Flanagan, Ballinasloe Town Team member, added: “The Town Team welcomes the launch of the Town Centre First Plan and the opportunities it creates to progress projects that reflect local priorities. Community input has been central to the development of the plan, and we look forward to working with partners to bring its vision forward.”
