EXTENSIVE VILLAGE IMPROVEMENT
SOUTH
EASTERN ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT
Small Town and Village Revitalisation Programme
Major improvements
throughout the Village will take place during 2005/06 as a result of workshop
meetings sponsored by the Ardglass Development Association, under the
leadership of Gerry O'Shea.
Entitled “The Ardglass Challenge”
an initial plan was drawn up during 2004 for the overall improvement of
Ardglass and the betterment of the people living in the village.
An initial meeting attended by some 70 people, including
local residents and representatives of statutory bodies contributed to basic thinking about village
needs. You can see details of this intensive planning here..
(Be warned! This is a extremely detailed, lengthy document!)
ADA Committee members Gerry O'Shea and Mary McCargo spent much time liasing with various grant and government bodies with the result that some £4 million has been allocated to a variety of improvements in the County Down fishing ports. £1 million - the largest amount awarded to any of the towns - has been allocated to Ardglass.
It is impossible to
detail everything that is envisaged, but here, below, for example is the proposed
layout of the Castle Place and Castle Lane, showing the areas that will be
resurfaced, with new trees and footpaths.
Castle Place as existing.
as proposed
- paver resurfacing.
Specially
designed lighting & street furniture will be installed on Bath Street
Existing
Proposed
New
Play Area & car parking to be established at the foot of the Greenfield
Steps
As stated above, it is impossible to detail all of the
improvements that are scheduled, but following intensive work by the Ardglass
Development Association all of the work detailed above has now been approved by
government and other agencies, and quite a few associated projects are also
about to receive official approval.
It is fair to say that without the organisational efforts of Gerry O'Shea - working for ADA in a voluntary capacity - it is unlikely that this major improvement work would have been possible.
Other environmental links given below:
Wildlife
in County Down
National
Trust