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Galway County Council is pleased to announce Gort Town Centre Streetscape Enhancement Measure. Applications are now being accepted for the Gort Streetscape Scheme until July 31^st 2024.

This activity Scheme is undertaken by Galway County Council with funding secured from the Department of Rural & Community Development (DRCD) under the Town & Village Renewal Scheme. The project is one of the key actions of the Gort Town Centre First Plan as part of the Town Centre First Initiative and promoted locally by the voluntary Gort Town Team.

An Information Event was held in Gort Town Hall on Tuesday June 25^th and over 90 people attended and showed a high level of interest in the scheme.

The focus of the Streetscape Measure is to support the upgrade and enhancement of shopfronts and street facades of defined areas within selected rural town/village centres. The defined area or qualifying location for this Measure is presented in the map below.

Property Owners and Tenants in areas included in the Scheme are eligible to apply for to 80% of grant funding per property to enhance façade within the Scheme limits. The Scheme is open to commercial, residential and vacant premises.

The areas included in this Scheme are properties facing Market Square, Crowe Street, Bridge Street, George’s Street (section), Barrack Street and Church Street.

Applications can be made on-line fromJune 26^th to July 31^st 2024 using this link https://submit.link/2ES

Applicants can register on the site by following the link and complete as many details as feasible. In order to fully complete and submit your application the following information must be provided:

• The Property Eircode
• An up to Photo of the Property owned or Leased
• Quote for Works 
• Permission of the Owner if you are a Tenant or Leaseholder of a Property

Anne Curtin the Colour Consultant will be holding 20 minute appointment sessions in The Resource Centre on Wed 3rd & 10th July in the afternoon. The 3rd is fully booked for the Colourist but there are a few slots on the 10th if anyone needs an appointment.

Eimear Dolan, Galway County Council, Town and Village Renewal, will also be available for anyone that wants a 1-to-1 & support with the actual grant applications on both days. Because of the demand, it would be useful to book an appointment.

Contacts

Contacts

Eimear Dolan GCC – Please phone or email and state  Gort Streetscape –

(091) 509396 or  

(091) 509334

Email: tandv@galwaycoco.ie.

Colourist Anne Curtin – Please use the above contact details but specify which person you want to speak with.

Our own lovely Suzanne in Nine & Fifty Swans is also available to people for colour advice and is happy for folk to just drop in & talk to her and get advice on heritage colours & complementary colour schemes

Anyone seeking advice on the Council Mortgage Scheme should contact Galway County Council Housing section directly Email: housing@galwaycity.ie. Phone: 091-894370

Further Information visit our web-site Gort Streetscape Enhancement Measure

The Gort Town Team, in collaboration with the Gort Town Regeneration officer presented at Loughrea Municipal District meeting a proposal for converting the Convent building into Delivering a Multi-purpose RemoteWorking, Innovation, Cultural and Community Centre with town centre housing.

Marian Cahill Collins and Annie Rosario from the Gort Town Team, outlined the key opportunities that this proposal offered. The retention and development of this site will :

• Save a historic building from falling into despair and retain it for years to come
• Enable enterprise opportunities via remote-working hub, tourism and increased trade in the town centre
• Offer centralised community services such as Gort Resource Centre and associated activities, potentially incorporating the Department of Social Protection
• Provide cultural spaces (Chapel and grounds) for multi-purpose performance/exhibition spaces, artists workshops etc
• Provide additional housing in the town centre
• Enable accessible community amenities and linkage for local amenity network (cycleways and Gort River Walk) and national amenities (Red Route cycleway

The area councillors unanimously endorsed a funding proposal to acquire and transform the former convent in Gort into a multi-purpose community center and hub.

The heritage building, which dates back to 1770. The building was constructed by John Prendergast Smyth, who later became Lord Gort. He resided there until 1816 when he relocated to the newly constructed Lough Cutra Castle. It then served as the residence of Dr W Mulville, and for two years until 1852, it functioned as a workhouse for girls.

In November 1857, the Sisters of Mercy arrived from Carlow to establish a convent there. It is presently providing shelter to Ukrainian refugees, following the departure of the Mercy Nuns in 2021 after a 164-year ministry.

The Gort Town team has collaborated with Galway County Council to create the Gort Town Centre First Plan, a roadmap for future growth. She stated that the three-story, 1,400 square meter building is an ideal location for a much-needed multi-functional remote working, cultural, and community space.

In 2021, an application to the Rural Regeneration and Development Fund (RRDF) was rejected due to the Department’s assumption that it might be donated to the public under the religious redress scheme.

When this did not occur, the Gorgeous Gort Forum, a collective of 50 community organizations, obtained a written commitment from the Mercy Nuns that Galway County Council would have the first option to buy it.

An application will be submitted in the next RRDF funding round in October to purchase the property and develop a detailed design, including a performance area in the chapel with its beautiful stained glass.

Ms Cahill Collins emphasized the importance of acquiring the building for the community to prevent it from suffering the same fate as a historic four-story mill in the town that vanished over a weekend.

“We are determined to prevent its destruction and save this historic building from falling into disrepair,” she passionately declared.

Annie Rozario, the chair of the Galway Town Team and coordinator of the Gort Resource Centre, stated that the site would be an ideal new location for the resource centre, which has outgrown its current premises.

Councillor Gerry Finnerty remarked that the town was fortunate that a developer had not already purchased it.

Councillor PJ Murphy l noted that Gort now exudes a sense of optimism that was absent in previous years, and this positivity is beginning to yield results.

Liam Hanrahan, Director of Services for Economic Development and Planning in Galway County Council, stated that the current zoning is for community and educational facilities, so residential use would not be permitted unless councillors approved a change.

He expressed hope at the meeting that discussions with the Sisters of Mercy would result in a positive outcome.

“The most suitable course of action would be a donation of the building,” he commented.

Jimmy McClearn, Cathaoirleach of the Loughrea Municipal District, stated that there was unanimous support among area councillors for advancing the project for funding.

The Gort Inse Guaire Town Centre plan was launched on December 20th 2023 and it was highlighted that Gort was leading the way is the first area in Galway to launch a town centre plan.

Over 50 people attended the launch where the key themes of the plan were outlined and presented.

There was high-level of interest on the different areas and lots of feedback given.

Liam Conneally, the chief Executive of Galway County Council indicated that Gort was leading the way and indicated that Galway County Council would support this plan and there were various funding streams available. He indicated the plan now needs to progress from paper to action through the delivery of the different projects outlined in the plan.

Feedback can be put in by any member of the public, resident, business owner, town ‘user’ – It’s important that the Gorgeous Gort Town Centre First plan gets feedback to ensure that it progresses. It’s important to support the aspects you think are positive and it’s important to raise any concerns so they can be addressed.

Feedback must be received by 8th June

If you prefer a very quick, no hassles email to send in feedback then please click on the following link and edit your response.

If you want to give more detailed feedback on website please click below

As a business Owner, please can you provide as much information as possible. The information you provide will only be used by us as design consultants to ensure we have taken into consideration all current uses and arrangements.