Clonakilty's vision for the future is unveiled to public

BILLBOARDS depicting a futuristic vision of Clonakilty town were erected last Friday on the approach road to the town.

The billboards are part of a public awareness campaign designed to keep people informed about the €2m infrastructural project that involves the laying of underground ducting and the development of a new drainage system.

Work on the project commenced at Faxbridge before the summer but, by agreement with local business interests, it was halted during the months of July and August, the peak tourism season.

The project has since recommenced with works progressing along Ashe Street.

Noel Lawlor, chairperson of Clonakilty Chamber, said: ‘It is still business as usual with safe pedestrian access for customers at both sides of Ashe Street.’

Sinn Fein Cllr Paul Hayes has praised the local business community for their patience, saying: ‘It is obviously a major inconvenience with these works going on outside their door, and it is awkward too for customers and delivery trucks, but everyone seems to be positively focused on the end result.

‘The work is being carried out on a phased and systematic basis and everyone can see that there is a huge amount of work being done,’ he said.

‘In fact, it is clear that the contractors are doing a thorough job and that whatever cables might be required in the future will be put in place so the roads will not have to be dug up again.’

Mr Hayes confirmed that during the excavation workers came across an old wall that was clearly part of the old structure of Clonakilty town, but there is no indication yet that the wall is of any archaeological significance. 

The Sinn Fein councillor welcomed the fact that the infrastructural project is continuing ‘at a terrific pace,’ but he pointed out it will still take another eight months to complete because new footpaths will have to be put in place, and the entire road from Faxbridge to Mick Finn’s pub will have to be resurfaced.

When it is completed, Cllr Paul Hayes said: ‘Clonakilty will be the first West Cork town to have public realm works.’ 

It is a new term for publicly-owned streets and pathways that are the kind of place you’d like to live or work in, or at the very least sit and enjoy a coffee.