Westmeath Community Development

Westmeath Local Authorities are delighted to announce that grant aid funding of up to €2.65 million towards the Athlone Gallery and the Mullingar Cycle Network has been secured through the BMW Gateways and Hubs ERDF (European Regional Development Fund) Scheme. The grants represent a maximum of 60% of eligible expenditure and amount to €1.45m in the case of the Athlone Gallery and €1.2m in the case of the Mullingar Cycle Network.

Athlone Gallery Development and Artist Studios

The Mayor of Athlone, Cllr. Mark Cooney welcomes this additional funding for the Athlone Gallery stating that “the Gallery will help Athlone to achieve its potential as a Gateway Town and will make a very significant contribution to the Arts and the cultural life of the town and the greater midlands area.” This additional grant funding will be added to the existing grant of €650,000 already secured through the Department of arts, sports and tourism ACCESS scheme. The new flagship, purpose built Gallery and Studio development which will be located in the centre of Athlone town is seen as a crucial element in the development of the arts and culture sector locally and regionally and in line with the policy objectives of the Westmeath County Arts Plan to promote access and enjoyment of the arts for all its citizens. The new Arts Centre’s distinctive feature is it’s strategic location in the heart of Ireland, and its scale, aspiration and potential to be one of Irelands most important and innovative contemporary visual arts centres, developing and maintaining a strong regional, national and international reputation.

The development, due to open in late 2010, represents a major development in the provision of cultural infrastructure in Athlone and the Midlands region. The commitment by Athlone Town Council and Westmeath County Council to develop and operate professionally managed, purpose-built gallery facilities with associated artists’ studio facilities located in the former fire station, is a progressive measure for the development of the arts and culture in the region.

The Gallery development aims to play host to a dynamic temporary exhibition programme by inviting works by leading local, national and international contemporary artists and to host some of Ireland’s foremost collections of modern and contemporary art. The Gallery also aims to stage historical and retrospective exhibitions, particularly of Irish art and other loans from prestigious permanent collections. The Gallery aspires to play a pivotal role in Athlone’s cultural life. As well as a diverse and stimulating exhibitions programme, the Gallery aims to undertake a wide range of educational activities both within and outside the Gallery. This is essential to audience development and engagement and encourages and nurtures participation form all sectors of the community.

The Fr. Matthew Hall on the banks of the River Shannon will be the home of this flagship cultural development, keeping in line with its long history and heritage in serving the people of Athlone and surrounding regions as a centre of cultural significance.

Westmeath Local Authorities are proactive in the promotion of County Westmeath as a location for investment locally, nationally and internationally and the proposed development will be a major recreational, cultural and community amenity, adding to the many attractions already on offer in the county and affirming Athlone as a quality cultural tourist destination and copper fasten Athlone’s place on the national cultural tourism map.

Mullingar Cycle Network

The Chairman of Westmeath County Council, Cllr. Fintan Cooney has stated that he is “delighted that the Council’s proposal to establish 20km of cycle routes in Mullingar has met with this approval and hopes that the realisation of the scheme will allow people to cycle safely and conveniently between their homes and their place of work or school and so on. The scheme will put Mullingar to the forefront in terms of the new Smarter Travel agenda.”

The project put forward for support will form part of a wider network of cycling and walking routes, currently being developed by the Council in conjunction with the National Building Agency.

The grant aided project involves the creation of approximately 20km of cycle lanes along the most important arterial desire lines for cyclists, taking them from their home areas to their places of employment, school or shops, as safely, comfortably, quickly and conveniently as possible. It includes appropriately coloured and textured surfacing, signage, cycle parking facilities, and appropriate interconnectivity with existing cycle routes. It is considered that the provision of these cycle lanes, combined with existing facilities and an appropriate promotional campaign will lead to a significant increase in the number of people cycling in Mullingar, leading to less congestion, reduced emissions and a healthier population. This strategy complies with Government Policy as expressed in the 2009 Smarter Travel statement.