Thurles Municipal District Briefs

Thurles town centre Painting Scheme

Cllr Seamus Hanafin has expressed satisfaction that a suggestion to finance a one-off painting and enhancement scheme for businesses on Liberty Square in order to allow the properties to maximise the impact of the investment in the public realm works, has been taken on board.

Speaking at a meeting of the Thurles Templemore Municipal District Council, Cllr Hanafin said that there has been very significant disruption to businesses and residents on Liberty Square and in the town centre over the course of the enhancement project. And, he offered the view that when work on Liberty Square is done, the buildings will need “freshening up.” He suggested that a suite of palette colours be identified from which interested parties could pick suitable themes for the buildings.

Cllr Hanafin was informed that Thurles District would welcome and support his motion and will commit to examine available funding opportunities to deliver a Painting & Enhancement Scheme for the businesses and residents on Liberty Square in 2022. The Districts preference would be to have a scheme that is designed appropriately to ensure maximum effectiveness and compliment the multi million euro investment in Liberty Square, while acknowledging the role the businesses and residents played during the works.

Old Baker Street

District Administrator Sharon Scully told members that the Old Baker Street enhancement scheme – one of only two such projects in the county - is being worked on currently to design a quality project which will compliment the locality and will be in keeping with a common theme throughout the town centre.

“It would be the intention to have quality products rolled out throughout the town and the District. We want to get this right because it will set the tone and we will be working on a template and palette of colours which can be used across the town. It is a very exciting project for the street and the town centre,” she said.

Clean the River Suir

Thurles Independent County Councillor Jim Ryan has called on the Thurles Templemore District Council and the Office of Public Works to carry out a full and thorough cleaning of the River Suir in Thurles to include the annual removal of the completely overgrown vegetation and weed species that is covering the river especially along the River Walk.

Cllr Ryan was informed that ehe Thurles MD has contacted the OPW who in turn have confirmed that they do not have responsibility for annual maintenance for overgrown vegetation on the Suir River. The MD has subsequently contacted the lnland Fisheries lreland in this regard and are awaiting a response.

Cllr Ryan said that the river should be at least cleared of the bollards and cones which have been dumped into it – it looks very unsightly, he said.