14 September 2020
By Tom Collins
tom@TheCork.ie
Minister for Rural and Community Development Heather Humphreys TD has announced a total of five applications by Cork County Council have been successful in securing funding to the value of €130,250, under the second round of the Town and Village Accelerated Measure in Response to Covid-19.
The Accelerated Measure is a new strand of the scheme focused on the delivery of immediate interventions to assist towns and villages in responding to Covid-19. This announcement follows a previous allocation of €104,000 made to Cork County Council in August of this year. A number of locations across the county are set to benefit from this funding, with additional resources provided by Cork County Council set to maximise the impact of the investment.
In Carrigaline Municipal District, the villages of Crosshaven and Passage West will receive funding for village enhancement works, like improved pedestrian access and covered community space.
Kanturk and Liscarroll in North Cork are to receive funding for improvements to village amenities such as footpaths and walkways to improve accessibility, and improvements to public realm such as enhanced planting, signage and painting.
Funding for West Cork will enable the purchase of a portable stage and amplification equipment, supporting local communities in the hosting of medium scale community events.
Mayor of the County of Cork, Cllr. Mary Linehan Foley
Pic: Brian Lougheed
Mayor of the County of Cork, Cllr. Mary Linehan Foley, welcomed the announcement, noting the significant short and long-term benefits to County Cork’s towns and villages as they recover.
“This investment is a major confidence boost for the towns and villages involved and will make a really positive impact in terms of generating increased economic activity and footfall in an environment that is safe for all. It further supports Cork County Council’s ambitious Project ACT strategy of Activating our County Towns.”
Cork County Council Chief Executive, Tim Lucey, added,
“These projects have many things in common, they have been developed by Cork County Council in conjunction with community and business interests, addressing key local priorities, and are ready to be implemented. The proposals link to Project ACT and will be delivered quickly, assisting each town/village in adapting in an innovative manner to the challenges posed by COVID-19”.
The Town and Village Renewal Scheme is a key initiative under the Government’s Action Plan for Rural Development and is part of the Government’s Project Ireland 2040 Rural Regeneration Programme.