As revealed in the Topic some weeks go, Westmeath County Council are seeking to ‘do a Westport’ and make a section of Mullingar town more pedestrian friendly and less centered around the car. They now want the public to have a say.
The Council are considering enhancing their own Civic Quarter adjacent to the former county buildings and the new Aras an Chontae, Council HQ at the end of Mount Street, which opened in 2009 having cost approx €40 million to build.
Members of the public are invited to comment on the plans which were drawn up for the Council by Brady, Shipman and Martin, a well-known planning and landscape company with offices in Dublin, Manchester, Cork and Limerick.
The plans are on public display in the atrium of the Aras an Chontae or online via the Council’s website in draft form before the Council enters into a formal consultation process to create a new ‘public space’ surrounding the county buildings.
Launching the plans last month, Council Engineer David Hogan admitted to concerned County Councillors “there will be a considerable cost” with money for the six figure enhancement said to come from paid parking revenue and possible funding applications. The plans were sharply criticised by Mullingar businessman Des Walsh who suggested the Council should look to Westport’s free parking system instead of spending thousands on enhancing space around their own buildings.
Speaking at a Counil meeting in July, Mr Hogan said “we want to create a place where people can socialise and move around. A good meeting place akin to outside the Grand Canal Theatre in Dublin. Mullingar has huge potential which is not yet realised. The county buildings should be owned by the people of Mullingar.”
Among the works proposed is a plaza in front of the Arts Centre, the pedestrianisation of Mount Street Gardens and a revamped/resurfaced square in the courtyard of the Council’s extensive buildings.
Comments should be submitted in writing by 26 September and addressed to David Hogan, Director Of Services, Mullingar Municipal District, Aras an Chontae. No email address was outlined.
