4 June 2020
By Elaine Murphy
elaine@TheCork.ie
Cork will be up and strumming again soon
Town Teams across County Cork are ramping up their efforts to support communities and businesses as the country prepares for the lifting of some restrictions imposed to protect the community from COVID-19.
Under the current government roadmap small retail outlets are set to reopen on the basis that the retailer can control the number of individuals that staff and customers interact with at any one time.
This has been an extremely difficult time for many businesses and their reopening will provide the community with a real opportunity to support their local retailers.
Project “ACT” is being run across Cork County Council’s eight Municipal Districts with the support of Elected Members. A fund worth €6 million has been committed to support community, festival, events and town enhancement works in the weeks and months ahead.
Amongst the immediate activity being undertaken by Council teams this week includes;
- Footpath de-cluttering in Kinsale and Skibbereen
- Planting of flowerbeds in Cobh
- Addition of new road markings in Fermoy
- Street cleaning in Kanturk
- Sign restoration in Dunmanway
In preparation for the phased return of business and community life, the new Town Teams have been working to introduce specific enhanced physical distancing and pedestrian friendly zones across County Cork. This will include the inclusion of additional footpath space, some changes to traffic flow and outdoor supports for businesses requiring socially distanced queueing. The intention is for every town and village in County Cork to benefit from the initiative.
Each of the Town Teams has reported extremely positive engagement from the local community, which is being reflected in an ambitious programme of works in the weeks ahead.
Millstreet Town Activating County Towns: Local councillors with members of the Gardaí, Retail, Business & Community, Tidy Towns and Older Persons from Millstreet meet in Macroom Town Hall to discuss their first Project to rejuvenate Business, Tourism, Festivals and to promote Safe Pedestrian Access as the country starts phase one to slowly reopen. Picture: John Delea.
Pictured is Cobh litter warden Clodagh Meade with the Mayor of the County of Cork, Cllr. Ian Doyle with the newly installed plastic bottle recycling unit.
Pic: Brian Lougheed
The Mayor of the County of Cork, Cllr. Ian Doyle is pictured at Cobh town with Cork Co. Council staff members, from left: John Crowley, Niall Healy, Director of Services, Cork Co. Council; Liam McAllister; Darren Dalton; Stephen Buckley; Gerard O’Hora, Area Engineer, Cork Co. Council and McCormack, Cobh Chamber of Commerce.
Pic: Brian Lougheed
Pictured are Cork Co. Council staff members Liam McAllister and Stephen Buckley putting out planters around Cobh town.
Pic: Brian Lougheed
Mayor of Cork County, Councillor Ian Doyle said
“What is clear is that people want to behave responsibly and safely as the country transitions from Phase One to Phase Two. As a local authority, Cork County Council is keen to play its part through committed funding and a collaborative programme of work involving all the key stakeholders. I would like to thank those who have already engaged with the Town Teams, and would encourage others to bring forward ideas that might help reactivate our towns during the summer. We all now realise the ‘value of local’, and should do everything we can to support what is on our doorsteps.”
Supports for vulnerable people and the over 70s are being integrated into the heart of these plans through the Older Person’s Council CARE Programme. Specific measures are being introduced to enable these valued citizens to safely return to their full and active role in daily life.
