Skibbereen reopens as safe, vibrant and welcoming town under Project ACT initiative

Mon, 13 Jul, 2020 - 13:00

Breda Graham

Significant moves have been made to make Skibbereen a safe, vibrant and welcoming town for residents and visitors.

The Project ACT initiative to support communities, businesses and industry recovering from Covid-19 has seen a range of measures being carried out in Skibbereen.

Works carried out to date include a deep clean and decluttering of footpaths and public areas, cleaning of signs and bollards and footpath repairs.

Cork County Council has awarded Project ACT Town Development Funding for the purchase of street furniture in a number of public spaces within the town, as well as funds to support street entertainment, which has led to live entertainment taking place on the streets each Wednesday and Saturday, continuing to early September.

Mayor of the County of Cork, Cllr. Mary Linehan Foley with Co. Council staff - Pat Ryan, John Draper, Shona O'Leary, John Ahern, Robert Stoutt, Michael Pat Murphy, Denis McCarthy and Denis Courtney who are all part of the Skibbereen Realm Project Team. Pic: Brian Lougheed

A number of applications from members of Skibbereen’s business community for street furniture outside of commercial premises have been accepted and licenses have been awarded on a temporary basis with fees waived for the duration of the summer season.

Age Friendly parking spaces are also being installed to improve accessibility for elderly and vulnerable, ensuring a safe place for everyone to visit.

County Mayor Mary Linehan Foley said that the measures taken in the town “reflect the incredible bond in communities throughout the county”.

She said that the initiative “is just one example among many of what we can achieve when we pull together”.

“We all have our part to play, and I encourage everyone to take advantage of the measures put in place, support your neighbours and local businesses as we continue to rise to the challenges of Covid-19. We can do this by shopping locally and supporting one another while adhering to public health advice,” she said.

Similar measures are taking place in towns and villages throughout the county which Chief Executive of Cork County Council, Tim Lucey, said are “individually tailored to meet the needs identified locally to ensure the promotion of social distancing, maximisation of space for pedestrians and the enhancement of space for commercial activity”.