Christmas bonanza for community centres
“A GOOD Christmas present” was the reaction on the ground to the announcement of almost €1.5m in funding for community centre upgrade and repair works.
Some 12 community facilities are set to benefit from the investment, which will go towards energy efficiency upgrade works, extensions, and improved access for people with disabilities among other things.
The community centre investment fund was made available in three categories – small-scale projects up to €25k, larger scale projects up to €100k and major projects up to €300k.
Aimed at improving and refurbishing existing facilities, the newly established fund had 1,048 applications seeking almost €71m overall from all around Ireland.
This week, the successful applicants were announced with funding of over €33m to be delivered to 278 community centres nationwide.
Cheeverstown House Company were the largest local recipients with €266k on its way, while Quarryvale Community and Youth Centre is set to get a boost of €247,538.10.
In Tallaght, Killinarden Community Council will receive €67,450.00, while in Ballyfermot, there is over €500k set to be injected in three community facilities.
Ballyfermot Resource Centre will receive funding to the sum of €206,500 while Ballyfermot Sports Complex will get €133,000 and Ballyfermot Centre for Children, Young People and Families will receive €162,379.00
“It’s a good Christmas present for local projects,” Cllr Vincent Jackson, who manages Ballyfermot Sports Complex, told The Echo.
“To receive substantial funding like this is huge and it’s a great boost for the three projects in the community.
Ballyfermot Family Resource Centre received €206,500
“This funding will make buildings more comfortable for those using them and for additional services.
“We don’t get core funding, we have to fundraise everything ourselves – so, this will make a difference, it’s great for the area.”
In Ballyfermot Sports Complex, they have an annual footfall of 77,000 people, and pupils from the neighbouring Mary Queen of Angels use the facility each week.
Such is the scale of the property, heating the building had become an arduous task due to the costs and energy efficiency of the building.
This cash injection will allow them to retrofit the building, which was built in 1985 and still uses the same gas boiler since then, to improve the energy efficiency.
Speaking about the €50k en route to Rathcoole Community Council and €247,538 on its way to Quarryvale Community and Youth Centre, TD for Dublin Mid-West, Emer Higgins welcomed the announcement.
“This incredible announcement is the largest single investment in our community centres in decades and will see Quarryvale Community and Youth Centre receiving €247,538 while Rathcoole Community Council will receive €50,000 in funding,” Deputy Higgins said.
“Our community centres are valued shared spaces and are very much at the heart of our community in Dublin Mid-West and I hope this funding assists in making them even better in the provision of services to people all across the area.”
