COUNCIL officials have rejected suggestions from some councillors that that the much publicised Skibbereen Town Centre First (TCF) Regeneration Plan, which was launched last year has ‘slowed a bit.’
The issue was raised by two Skibbereen-based councillors at last week’s meeting of the West Cork Municipal District with Cllr Brendan McCarthy (FG) saying that there was huge interaction with the plan last year, but added that it has ‘slowed a bit’ since the launch.
The TCF Regeneration Plan for Skibbereen was the first to be published in the county and has 36 specific elements which will shape the future of Skibbereen.
Some of the plans included the now-completed revamp of the Rock area of the town into an amenity park.
‘There is some pessimism out there and people are wondering will this be a plan that will remain on the shelf.
Funding of €1.8m was secured for public realm works but some of the surfaces on streets like Townsend and Market Street are still atrocious,’ said Cllr McCarthy.
He acknowledged the great work completed at The Rock but added that he is concerned about Skibbereen Town Hall, which he said is a ‘bugbear’ of his.
‘It’s such a brilliant performance space and all the businesses in the town would benefit if it was used more regularly.
We want to see the hall used much more often and there’s huge potential.’ He said there is ‘vacuum of information’ out there about plans for the hall and welcomed an update from the Municipal District officer.
Cllr Daniel Sexton (Ind Ire) agreed and said people are concerned about the lack of progress, while Cllr Joe Carroll (FF) echoed those sentiments.
‘There was a big fanfare but it seems to have died down now a bit. We’re looking for a lot more substance than we are actually getting,’ said Cllr Carroll.
He commended the footpath works but expressed a small bit of disappointment with the derelict buildings in the town.
Municipal district officer Eimear O’Neill said that a number of objectives had been advanced since April last year, and an update would be shared soon.
Senior executive officer Noreen O’Mahony said that there is a lot of work going on in the town, and also that the Council had recently run two events in the town hall, which she said was a new departure for them.
‘I am happy to engage with the new committee in charge of the hall,’ she said.
