Community preparing to open doors of €4.9m facility
PLANS for the development of a €4.9m community centre in Glenasmole are gathering pace, as the Glenasmole Community Association (GCA) is preparing to reopen the doors of the facility.
The Glenasmole Community Centre has undergone extensive refurbishment in the last two years, and the community is keen for it to reopen.
While a firm date for the official opening is yet to be set, final works on the development are being completed and the GCA is hoping to hold an event marking the reopening in the near future.
GCA board member and project manager, John Lee, said the newly expanded community space will serve generations to come.
“Our ambition with this refurbishment project was to create a space which will serve young and old and everyone in between from our local area,” explained Mr Lee.
“We’re a small community here and this centre has been at the heart of it for decades but the building itself was no longer fit for purpose.
“The original hall is now extended to include a kitchen space and meeting rooms, with underfloor heating and full disability access.
It’s been a huge project for us, but all the work will be worthwhile when we can open the doors to this new warm, inviting space to everyone.”
The refurbishment has been supported by a bridging loan of €292k from Community Finance Ireland, a grant by Dublin Rural Leader, and funding from South Dublin County Council.
Visiting the site earlier this year ahead of completion, Barry Symes, head of Community Finance Ireland (CFI) ROI, congratulated John and the GCA team on the project’s success.
He said: “At CFI we talk about changemakers – the people in local communities who see an opportunity to create something and go for it.
“Glenasmole Community Association are the epitome of changemakers from the day they set out to build the original centre from scratch.
Barry Symes, Head of Community Finance Ireland ROI with Glenasmole Community Association board members John Lee and Angela McCann
“We’re delighted to have supported GCA in this project and I have no doubt that they’ve created something which will serve the community for their next fifty years and beyond.”
With the building works almost complete, the GCA has their sights set on the surrounding areas with plans to develop walkways and biodiverse landscapes in a five-acre plot that has been purchased by the community.
Mr Lee from the GCA said: “There are people who grew up in Glenasmole and spent their childhood running wild in the mountains, who have moved away and now bring their own kids back to visit.
“We want them to think of this centre as their home too, to meet and reconnect with the community and the beautiful surroundings we have here.”
Built and run entirely by volunteers, the community hall is a hub for all generations, providing a much-needed space for mother and baby groups, youth clubs, and drama group productions.
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