By Suzanne Pender
IN EXCESS of €4 million has been announced for the long-awaited Tullow Road Community Centre in Carlow town.
The allocation of €4,135,178 was announcement on Friday as part of an investment of more than €30 million by minister Heather Humphreys, which will deliver 12 new community centres nationwide.
The news has been warmly welcomed in Carlow, where for years the concept of a community centre for this largely populated area of the town has been mooted.
The overall cost of the project is €4,594,643 which Carlow County Carlow will match fund. It is anticipated that the construction of this project will commence in the fourth quarter of 2024.
“I have been working hard with Carlow County Council on securing this funding and I am delighted to welcome it,” said deputy Jennifer Murnane O’Connor.
“This funding will support a large multi-purpose hall, a number of smaller teaching spaces, coffee dock, community office spaces, general office supports and toilets, including a changing room. The centre will be operated in conjunction with the youth services,” the deputy added.
Cllr Andrea Dalton said that as cathaoirleach and councillor for Carlow Municipal District she was “delight to share this brilliant news”.
“It is the realisation of a project we have been working on for years. As a community worker who has supported the people of the Tullow Road for nearly 30 years, I know how badly needed this community hub is and what a difference it will make,” she said.
“We got this money because we have shovel-ready plans and approvals already in place, so all we were waiting on was the funding. This is a fantastic day for the Tullow Road area and for Carlow town,” said cllr Dalton.
“Well done to all my councillor colleagues and the staff in Carlow County Council for bringing this much-needed project to fruition, and most importantly to the people of the Tullow Road, who engaged with the process and inputted their ideas and desires along the way,” added cllr Dalton.
Mayor Carlow cllr Tom O’Neill and Fine Gael party colleague cllr Fergal Browne also warmly welcomed the news.
“This news for Carlow with the new-build facility on the Tullow Road is a gamechanger and will benefit the communities for years for come,” they said.
The building will be a shared multi-functional resource with universal access which will facilitate new and existing supports and services, catering for physical, social and community needs. The facility will incorporate various rooms including a community hall, kitchen, coffee dock, two multi-functional classrooms/meeting/training rooms, 2 consulting rooms, a maker space, lobby meeting space, toilets, reception, office accommodation, circulation space, plant room, ICT room, storage rooms and all necessary plant and equipment for accessibility and access including a lift.
The project will include the provision of a new access point from the distributor road via a roundabout, internal access road, parking, drainage, fencing, landscaping, external play/outdoor space, and all necessary communication infrastructure. The building is designed to be nZEB i.e. carbon neutral and it will be enhanced by the provision of active travel and green infrastructure.
Carlow County Council will be the lead agency who will manage the procurement, build and administration of all aspects of the project. Carlow Regional Youth Services will be the anchor tenant.
Chief Executive of Carlow County Council, Coilín O’Reilly stated, “Carlow County Council recognised the need for this project in the Tullow Road and has been working with the community and the key stakeholders for years to deliver on this ambition. I wish to thank the elected members for their support throughout the years and the staff of the Community Section for their work in the preparation and development of the successful application for submission.”
