By Dan Walsh at Riverside Park Hotel, Enniscorthy
The Enniscorthy Town Centre First Plan, one of the first in the country, was completed and collaboratively adopted by members of Enniscorthy Municipal District Council last January and details of the plan were explained at a well-attended public meeting held in Riverside Park Hotel tonight (Tuesday).
The Plan was presented by Dr. Conor Norton, Urban Design and Architecture assisted by Mick McCormick, Town Regeneration Officer, David Whitty, Executive Engineer Special Projects at Wexford County Council and Cllr Aidan Browne, Chair of Enniscorthy Town Centre First Team.
“Enniscorthy Town Centre will be a sustainable, thriving beautiful and welcoming place of unique sense of place and quality of life”, said Dr. Norton, who added; “Its regeneration will be for the benefit of the community, for all those working there, and for its many visitors and admirers.
“Enniscorthy Town Centre will be a safe, accessible and attractive place for all, including children, older people and families,” concluded Dr. Norton.
Targets include “the reuse and refurbishment of vacant homes and vacant residential floors of mixed-use buildings, and to eliminate the effective vacancy in the housing stock in the Town Centre by 2040.”
The Plan also aims to “transition to active travel and eliminate traffic dominance in the Town Centre as a critical condition for regeneration”; “to prioritise pedestrian movement in the Town Centre” and “to develop a sustainable traffic management strategy for the town as a measure to eliminate congestion and car dominance in the Town Centre.”
PACKAGE ONE; Civic Spine, Main Street-Market Square Castle Hill. This is an integrated regeneration package involving different stakeholders in partnership to deliver redevelopment, refurbishment, and improvement of urban space. This package will be the critical early catalyst to the rejuvenation of the function, fabric and image of the Town Centre.
PACKAGE TWO; The Castle Heritage Quarter. The Quarter will provide a focal point for the rich heritage of the Town. It will draw on the diversity of urban heritage in this important urban block. Including the Castle, the Athenaeum and the rich fabric of street buildings. The Quarter will be the focal attraction and orientation space for tourism in Enniscorthy.
PACKAGE THREE; Templeshannon Hub and Link. This package aims to intervene decisively to counter the worrying decline of the heart of Templeshannon, and its disconnection from the Town Centre. It aims to be a catalyst in the restoration of vitality and vibrancy through redevelopment, refurbishment and a radical improvement of its public spaces. It will explore the potential to redevelop a substantial leisure and recreation hub to complement the existing Waterfront Pool and Leisure Centre.
There was strong public views expressed from the floor, clearly there were mixed views on aspects of the Plan, however, the Plan has been adopted and it is now time to get the Plan working for Enniscorthy, going in search for funding, transforming the town into the 21st century prosperity, and, in particular there were passionate calls for Enniscorthy Municipal District, Wexford County Council and Wexford deputies in Dáil Éireann to get behind the Plan and ensure that the funding is provided and the Plan can commence without any further delay.
The attendance was welcomed by Cllr John O’Rourke, Cathaoirleach Enniscorthy Municipal District Council and included Deputies Paul Kehoe and Verona Murphy and Cllrs Jackser Owens, Leas-Cathaoirleach Enniscorthy Municipal District Council, Cathal Byrne, Barbara-Anne Murphy and Kathleen Codd-Nolan.
The Enniscorthy Town Centre First Team consists of Cllr Aidan Browne (Chair), Niall Byrne (Enniscorthy Chamber of Commerce), Nicky Murphy (Enniscorthy Traders Association), Colm Neville (Visit Wexford Tourism), Mico Hassett (Culture), Dervla Tierney (Enniscorthy Community Forum), Syl Hipwell (Enniscorthy Garda Division), Margaret Nolan (Industry), Kieran Donohoe (FDYS Youth), Clare Ryan (WLD), Maria Nolan (Sports), Mick McCormick (Town Regeneration Officer) and Claire Lawless (District Manager, Enniscorthy Municipal District).
WexfordLocal.com 