Council in quandary over £1m. 'shopping list'
Castlebar Urban Council has drawn up a £1m. 'shopping list' of various improvement works to be carried out in the town during the coming year. The only problem is that the authority has only £200,000 in its coffers to spend on the earmarked projects, and elected members have already committed £40,000 to developments at Cashel Park, Garryduff Drive and Castle Street, as well as £10,000 towards continuing the upgrading of the town's public lighting system. Mr. Cyril Aitken, town engineer, outlined to members the various works that needed to be carried out. Members agreed to study the list and return in two weeks time to decide which projects would be selected. Mr. Johnny Mee, chairman, said some monies would have to be provided for the Marian Row\St. Bridget's Crescent area. The Corpus Christi Procession was going to be held there later this year, and the place needed a facelift. Mr. Paddy McGuinness stated it was 'dishonest' of the chairman to give commitments to any residents association before the council made their final deliberations. He later withdrew this comment, pointing out that the chairman had always been very fair. Mr. Mee said he did not take exception to the remark and joked: "I'll see you in the High Court, Paddy.' Mr. Alec Fleming, assistant county manager, ruled out the prospect of the council going further into debt to carry out all the works. "The reason we are restricted in what we can do is because of our existing debt which stands at £700,000.' It was also suggested by Senator Paddy Burke and Mr. Frank Durcan that the council should consider selling lands at Cashel Park to enable them carry out sewerage and drainage works at Cashel Park and Chestnut Grove. Mr. John Condon, town clerk, said they could sell lands, but the monies raised could only be used for certain purposes, one of which was not sewerage or drainage schemes. Mr. Durcan stated Marian Row and Rathbawn Road were dealing with levels of traffic which they were never built to cope with. "Both of those roads need to be redesigned and upgraded as a matter of urgency.' Mr. Durcan said the council had given commitments to carry out all the works on the list. "We will have to do something to get the money.' It was agreed to seek a meeting with the Minister for Environment, Mr. Noel Dempsey, T.D., in an effort to get a special allocation. Mr. McGuinness said he did not think the Minister met deputation from urban councils, but there was no harm in trying. Mr. Blackie Gavin complimented the town engineer for going to the trouble of drawing up the list. Mr. McGuinness said the need for a traffic calming system at Rathbawn needed to be addressed. The situation was so bad that residents found it difficult to turn their cars in and out of their driveways. EXPENSIVE JOBThe council should enlist the help of residents in acquiring small pieces of land in order to widen sections of the roadway. The most expensive job on the list is the £365,000 for the upgrading of McHale Road. Mr. Fleming said the council had been refused a national road grant for this work on three occasions, and there seemed to be no point in reapplying Mr. Durcan stated he would like to see an on-going problem at Gallows Hill being resolved. The problem related to water consistently flowing down the hill from a spring. It caused particular trouble during periods of frost. Mr. Aitken said a spring at the location needed to be tapped. A suggestion by Mr. Durcan that resurfacing parts of the carpark at Castle Street was not a priority drew a sharp rebuke from Mr. Liam Coady. He said: "This area is used by an awful lot of people attending meetings in the Social Services Centre. I would oppose shelving this work.' Mr. Durcan said Castle Street was the most resurfaced street in the town, and it was planned to do it again. "Castle Street has cost an absolute fortune.' Mr. Mee said the removal of the old limestone kerbing at Castle Street proved to be unwise. Mr. McGuinness said the council provided money for a job at Kennedy Gardens last year, but there was enough money to finish the work. The remaining funds should be provided this year. |
