Featured photo: Visualisation of the re-imagined Market Square by Landscape Architect Joseph McCallion
The Mayor of Letterkenny-Milford MD Gerry McMonagle has called on the council to engage with businesses, residents and users of Letterkenny Main Street to ensure they reap the rewards of future development projects.
The Main Street area is in line for major investment of up to €20million through several major urban regeneration projects. These include the Old Courthouse, Cathedral Quarter Park and creative enterprise hub, Alpha Beta Buildings and the re-imagined Market Square.
“People are asking what can we do with the main street going forward with all this investment. When the Market Square is opened up into a plaza, how do we make the Main Street more amenable?” Cllr McMonagle asked Tuesday’s meeting of the Letterkeny-Milford Municipal District.
“We all know it’s suffering from dereliction,” Cllr McMonagle said of the street, adding that he has been contacted by people concerned about the type of retail units emerging on the main street, such as the growing number of takeaways.
Cllr McMonagle said it’s important that businesses, residents and users can share their views on how to develop the street alongside the Urban Regeneration and Development Fund (URDF) projects on the way in the next 3-5 years.
“Does the Main Street, as it sits today, benefit all that, or should we now consult with businesses on how they can reap the rewards of the investment we are putting into the area to increase footfall and possibly increase the amount of people looking to invest?” he asked.
In a response, Patricia McIntyre, Town Regeneration Officer said that URDF projects has or will in the future involve public consultation. The council is set to collaborate with Elected Members to explore opportunities for showcasing URDF project details at future public consultation events alongside larger-scale information days.
Councillors were also told that the Market Square project is expected to progress to site this year.
Councillor McMonagle was also provided with an update on funding awarded to Letterkenny’s substantial Urban Regeneration and Development Fund (URDF).
Call 2 of the fund includes the reimagining of Market Square with €750,000 in URDF funding from a €1 million overall investment, the development of the Cathedral Quarter Park receiving €7.5 million of a €10 million project, the revival of the Courthouse with €2,925,000 from the URDF for a €3.9 million budget, and the establishment of a Regional Transport Hub supported by €1,275,000 for the project totalling €1.7 million.
€750,000 of investment will enable renewal on Lower Main Street (totalling project €1 million), and phase 2 of the LK Green Connect will be supported with €1.7m, of which the URDF component is €2,925,000.
