Arts Centre progresses to planning stage

Tullamore's long awaited community arts centre this week progressed to planning stage. A public notice has been issued to advertise that Tullamore Town Council proposes to carry out development of the centre at Kilbride Park and O'Connell Street. Proposed plans will be available for inspection from Wednesday, August 1 at Tullamore town hall on Cormac Street. Submissions and observations on the proposed development can be made in writing up to 4pm on Friday, September 28. Tullamore's proposed new arts centre will run to 1,975 square metres and will include a 250 seat theatre, a gallery, a café, arts rooms and offices. The development proposal also includes the incorporation of hard and soft landscaping, the removal of some trees, car parking, bus set down and loading zones and the relocation of the current bottle bank facility and parking meters on the site. Arts centre chairman Desmond Doyle admitted the project hasn't rushed to this point. "It has taken quite a while to get to this point and we appreciate people's patience," he said this week. "Much time has been spent on ensuring that the public realm aspect of this development is well considered, including the sympathetic treatment of the access needed by the Offaly Historical and Archaeological Society and of the Tullamore Dew Heritage Centre. We were aware that developing the arts centre on this space would require some careful deliberation and consultation, and we are now entering a new phase of the development which we know is much anticipated." Mr Doyle also said the people involved with the project are determined to strive towards the best possible outcome in the development however, for both the people of Tullamore and the almost 4,000 who took part in the fundraising draw. Chair of Tullamore Town Council Lar Byrne said together with the new library that's set to open next week the arts centre will be an investment into revitalising the town centre. "This development has been on the cards for many years," he said. "We are delighted to be in a position to progress it, despite the current climate."