THE Love Shannon Community Council have extended the deadline for feedback on its Shannon Community Development Plan, which can still be viewed online.
The Plan has numerous suggestions for Shannon, including one for improving awareness of the level of facilities available locally. “58% of the respondents to the Shannon Community Development Survey proposed the need for a multipurpose community hall or centre for Shanon. LSCC analysed this proposal in detail and noted that a range of community centres and halls exist in Shannon, each providing opportunities for community based activities. There is a risk that people are unaware of the range of facilities, of the activities that may be taking place in each and/or how individuals and groups might access these facilities for community purposes.
It proposed that “Love Shannon Community Council will develop an online resource, informing the population of Shannon of the range of community halls/centres available in the community and outlining the activities currently offered in each facility.
It also suggested it would “investigate the possibility of creating a centralised booking system as part of that online resource to facilitate individuals/groups access facilities for community purposes.”
Regarding outdoor green spaces the Plan says, “A specific project will be initiated in partnership with local shops in Drumgeely, Tullyvarraga and Ballycasey, focused on developing local green areas into casual meeting spaces. This project will set out mainly to benefit older residents of these communities and will include seating to enable older people sit and interact with neighbours in their communities. A project to provide seating from the town centre outwards to residential communities will also be initiated, specifically targeting the needs of older people returning home with their shopping. ”
It also suggested that LSCC “seek to create a covered seating area in a central location as a hang out space specifically for youth of the town.”
The document also says that the LSCC “will work with residents in Drumgeely interested in the development of play spaces for children in their area. “It is proposed that a series of natural play areas will be created with the funding secured by Shannon Tidy Towns from the Heritage Council of Ireland along the river walk in this community.
“This action will address two issues; i the enhancement of the river walk experience for all families in Shannon and ii the development of play spaces in Drumgeely. It will also provide a template for similar projects with other communities in future.”
Numerous other proposals are included and the entire document is available online at https://loveshannon.ie/comdevplan/.
By Owen Ryan