CLONAKILTY badly needs its own community hall, which could serve as a focal point for all members of the growing town, according to a local councillor.
Cllr Isobel Towse (SD) was speaking at a recent meeting of the West Cork Municipal District where she queried where €200,000 of Town Centre First Heritage Revival Scheme (Thrive) funding for Kent Street is going to go.
Cllr Towse said she is getting a lot of calls from people expressing the need for a community space in Clonakilty and that it is surprising there isn’t any, in such a vibrant town.
‘I would argue that the town centre needs a community hall much more than it needs new council offices. We have a strong creative community in Clonakilty but there is no space to gather or work together out of,’ said Cllr Towse.
‘There are issues with using the parish hall and the parochial hall and the religious halls have boards who have to approve events by a small board, well in advance.’
She said there is already two digital hub offices in the town and she called for better communication and engagement from the Council on plans for the town. ‘The library on Kent Street was redeveloped last year and people are not happy with the clinical feel and that public toilets weren’t installed. I think these issues could have been resolved with greater public consultation and engagement.’
Cllr Towse, who is a founding member of the recently formed Clonakilty Projects Group, asked that the people of Clonakilty be given every chance to express what they want on Kent Street. ‘If the Council have plans already, can they share them with the public?’ she asked.
Cllr Noel O’Donovan (FG), who is also a founding member of Clonakilty Projects Group, seconded her motion, and said this motion is an example of how the group works.
‘The sooner the plans are put out there the better, so the public can see what is planned for the town,’ said Cllr O’Donovan.
Assistant staff officer Martina O’Driscoll said the contract has just been signed and that consultations and workshops will be open to everyone to gather their ideas before the end of the year. ‘There are no existing plans yet and the consultations will start in the next few weeks,’ she said.
