€100,000 announced for Streetscape Enhancement works in Offaly town

The town of Clara is to benefit from €100,000 for Streetscape Enhancement works.

The announcement was made by Minister Heather Humphries today August 30, when she granted funding of €2.6 million for 26 towns in total.

The Minister has encouraged businesses and property owners to become involved and to avail of the funding.

The Minister said:

“We all take pride in our rural towns and villages and want them to be as attractive and welcoming as possible. That’s exactly what Streetscapes is all about. I want as many businesses and property owners to get involved over the next few weeks and to avail of this funding.''

''You may wish to give the front of your shop a new lease of life and repaint it in bright, vibrant colours. Perhaps you want to cover your windowsills with flowers and plants or purchase street furniture, canopies for your customers to enjoy. Or maybe you have an even bolder idea. This time round, I’m encouraging neighbouring businesses to submit a joint application to their local authority if they have a more ambitious proposal. For example, under the first tranche of funding, some businesses transformed their facades with attractive murals – that’s one way to make your town stand out,” she said.

The grant will be administered by Offaly local authority.

Deputy Barry Cowen said he was delighted to be advised by Minister Heather Humphreys that Clara town

will receive €100,000 in funding as part of the Streetscape Initiative.

The overall purpose of the Scheme is to give our towns and villages a facelift and make them more

attractive places to live, work or visit.

The types of projects that could be supported include:

Strategic collaboration between property owners to paint buildings and/or shopfronts in vibrant colours;

Upgrade or restoration of historic / traditional shopfronts; Provision of street planting, shrubbery, trees

and flowers boxes; Installation of canopies; Murals/public artwork.

Minister Pippa Hackett has also welcomed the announcement. She said: ''In December last, Clara received

€100,000 to develop its own unique master plan. This further funding is another example of the continued

investment in towns and villages across the country.

Schemes like this one and the Town Centres First and Croí Conaithe Policies are all measures, brought in

by this Government, to make our towns and villages more vibrant and ultimately bring people back to

them. I’m delighted at this continued investment in Clara” concluded the Minister.