MAYO NEWS - TUESDAY, 05 MAY 2009

Westport Town Hall - A dream reborn

Liamy MacNally

It is a great feeling to be at the starting line.  It feels better when there are others there too, not to compete against you but to assist you on the trip.  That was the case last week at a meeting in the Wyatt Hotel where more than 80 people gathered to hear about ongoing plans to re-develop Westport Town Hall.
There were people from all corners of the parish.  Almost every townland in the parish was represented alongside people from neighbouring parishes.
Frank O’Reilly’s digital video display of the ‘new’ Town Hall in 3D was brilliant.  Three minutes long, the promotional video will soon be on display at prominent sites in the town.  It details the re-development plans for the Town Hall, lifting the lid on each floor to reveal meeting rooms, dressing rooms, storage rooms and the auditorium itself.  Backstage will also be state of the art with special doors to allow for large scenery to be brought in and out.  Retractable seating will provide multi-purpose uses for the auditorium.  It will cater for many groups, young and old, locals and visitors alike.
It will also boast a vamped up foyer – a meeting place for thespians and thespian watchers, for talkers and the talked about, where the wanting vies with the wanted.  The re-created balcony will stir old Covie ghosts, shaking the dust and quivering the cobwebs of history, creaking grandeur back to life.  It will be the pedestal of gratitude for those who step forward to take a bow.  For others, it will provide a platform of pleasure to view the heaving scenes below, acted out on the Octagon’s eight stages. 
The Town Hall will put the heartbeat back into the centre of the town.  For too long it has cried tears of sorrow.  Now, its day has come and the renewal is about to start.
The walls of the auditorium will, once again, feel the vibes of history, re-creating new versions of old hopes.  The echo of voices past will reverberate with the robust words and sweet sounds dancing in the ether of time, touching but untouchable.  The circle will never be unbroken. 
The plans, drawn up in-house by Mayo County Council architect, Noelle Angley, are fresh, invigorating and inspiring.  Under Town Architect, Simon Wall, they will retain all that is good, restore what is needed and develop aspects to include, what will be, an exciting town centre exhibition space.          
A core committee has kept faith with plans to redevelop the Town Hall for several years.  Noel Kavanagh, Seán Staunton, Pearce O’Malley, Jack King and Fr Denis Carney have plodded and plotted.  They never gave up.  When applications for funding bore no fruit, they just resolved to try harder.  Now the plans are being launched.  The project will cost in the region of €2million.  A new partnership has been formed among the Town Hall proprietors (St Mary’s Church), Westport Town Council and the local community.  Fr Denis Carney has been central to this mix and ensured that the Town Hall will be used for various community uses. 
In true community spirit both local authorities – Westport Town Council and Mayo County Council – have committed €1million between them.  A generous Westport anonymous benefactor has donated €250,000.  St Mary’s Church and St Patrick’s Drama Group have pledged €250,000 with the remaining €500,000 to be raised by the local community, business people and various organisations.  Foróige has already raised €1,000 through a disco. 
Local people are being asked to support the venture by contributing €10 per month for 36 months to the project, €360 in total.  Some people might like to pay the contribution in one lump sum.  The Town Hall Restoration Fund can reclaim tax on a lump sum payment by PAYE taxpayers while self-employed and businesses can reclaim tax themselves on donations over €250.  The 80 volunteers who met last week are getting geared up to call to houses ‘door-to-door’ to afford everyone the opportunity to be part of the rebirth of the Town Hall.  Fr Denis will explain plans in detail at Masses on the weekend of May 9 and 10.  An Post will deliver Town Hall brochures across the region, from Killadoon to Achill.  The Mayo News will carry Town Hall brochures to its readers at home and abroad.  Midwest Radio will air the good news across the region and on the World Wide Web.
These are difficult economic times.  We have had them before and we shall experience them again.  The only time that matters is now.  We shall survive.  The benefits of a restored Town Hall will outweigh temporary pain.  The project is a classic example of church, state and local community working together and for each other to ensure the survival of a community.  Ar aghaigh linn!      

MAYO NEWS - TUESDAY, 14 APRIL 2009

Unanimous support for Westport town hall

Westport town hall redevelopment receives unanimous support


THE fund-raising drive by the Westport community to facilitate the redevelopment of Westport Town Hall has the full backing of the executive and elected representatives of Westport Town Council.
At a meeting of Westport Town Council on Thursday last, councillors viewed a virtual presentation of the planned building and the elected members offered their unanimous support for the project.
Cllr Margaret Adams said that, despite the tough economic climate, she predicted the local fund-raising drive, which needs to raise in the region of €500,000, would be well received.
“The Westport community has never been found wanting when it comes to fund-raising,” she outlined.
Cllr Peter Flynn praised the town hall committee who had persisted through many frustrations to see the project to this advanced stage and he added the whole project was ‘another good news story’.
Town manager, Mr Peter Hynes, said the Town Council would support the community fund-raising drive in any way possible as the town hall was a key infrastructural development for the town.
Planning permission has already been secured and Westport Town Council hopes to go to tender in September with construction work to begin in the early part of 2010.
The ambitious revamp plans include the development of state-of-the-art theatre facilities, the restoration of the iconic front balcony and development of facilities for youth and community activities.
Already, Westport Town Council and Mayo County Council have pledged financial support to the project, while an anonymous benefactor has generously pledged €250,000 towards the costs.
Westport Town Hall is is owned by the parish and held in trust by the Diocese of Tuam, and Father Denis Carney – Diocesan Trustee of the hall – has pledged that Westport Town Hall will remain a community resource.
In the past the building has served as the home of Westport Town Band, St Patrick’s Drama Group, Westport Country Markets and Westport Youth Activities Club – to name a few. It has been closed since earlier this year but once reopened it will include a theatre for visual arts, meeting rooms, youth facilities and a café.