Building work about to start converting iconic hall in Offaly before Christmas
BUILDING work is about to start on Kilcormac's Fiesta Hall. Brendan O'Loughlin of Offaly Local Development Company told the Tribune that OLDC is at the point of appointing a contractor.
The contractor will begin the building work in the next few weeks, before Christmas.
He added, “the first stage of this work will be enabling works which will include some necessary exposing work in order to allow the contractor to gain an accurate picture of what he is dealing with and therefore to provide accurate costs.”
Brendan said the principal structure of the Hall looks to be in good condition and therefore will be retained. A small amount of demolition work will be required, including demolition of a little annex on the north side which, Brendan said, “is nearly ready to fall down as it is.”
The contractor will re-roof the Hall, and this work will start next Spring.
“It's hoped that all building work will be completed by Autumn next year,” added Brendan, “and that Green Offaly will be able to move in in early 2024.”
The project has received €1.3 million in Just Transition funding. This Just Transition funding did not come from the EU but from the central exchequer of the Irish government.
Fiesta Hall is a large space and it's planned to completely fill it with office space for Green Offaly, co-working space, and research space.
Offaly County Council granted planning permission for the Fiesta Hall project last May. The permission is for “the carrying out of works (building, demolition and alterations) to the existing Hall. The refurbishment making material changes of its use to an educational, training and employment resource as a Green HQ for County Offaly; venue for outdoor public events; two accessible car parking spaces and e-charging point in the existing parking area.”
The fund will see the historic Fiesta Ballroom renovated in alignment with green building principles and powered by renewable energy. The Design Team appointed for the project were Gaia Ecotecture (an ecological architectural firm with offices in Cork, Dublin the UK and Cloughjordan).
The hall is to become "a Green Enterprise hub and Climate Action Centre, with a lecture theatre, conference facilities and fixed and remote working space".
When completed, the new facility will be used to "deliver training, education and research programmes in green skills, sustainability, climate change and community regeneration. Community and visitor facilities will include a coffee house, dance space, workshops, events and exhibitions".
The Fiesta Ballroom was a cinema and dance hall in the 1960s. In more recent times it hosted bingo, drama and other community events, as well as regular district court sittings. The Hall has been out of use for about six years and is in reasonable condition.
OLDC says it plans to retain a portion of the raked cinema seating for the purpose of creating a lecture/training room and four 'breakout' rooms.
A single storey new-build is planned to replace the single-storey section at the side of the hall, and this will include "sanitary facilities, three office spaces, and universal access". The ground floor will be used as a multi-use social and community space which can host exhibitions and demonstrations. The foyer will be repurposed as a café, with capacity for additional outdoor seating to the front of the building.
Birr-based Thor Design and Management consultants carried out a structural report on the Hall in 2021 and said the building was originally constructed in the early part of the 20th century, and was then extended some years later.
"Overall, the building is typical for its period of construction,” said the Thor report, “but it will need significant work and money to upgrade it to an acceptable standard for any re-purposed use.”
The Hall is greatly valued by the local community and they are keenly looking forward to its transformation.