'A great day for Mountbolus'

“This is a great day for Mountbolus,” declared local Fine Gael Cllr Neil Feighery when members of Offaly County Council adopted a plan to rejuvenate the village under the Town and Village Renewal Scheme at their January meeting this week.

The plan, which will see a major programme of street enhancement works being carried out in the village, has already been approved for funding and the scheduled works are due for completion within the next year.

“Mountbolus is badly in need of rejuvenation and this programme of works will make a huge difference to the area,” said Cllr Feighery, with similar words of support for the project coming from Fianna Fail Cllr Danny Owens.

Cllr Feighery paid tribute to former Minister for Rural and Community Development, Michael Ring, and his successor, Heather Humphreys, for always operating “an open door policy” for local public representatives.

The council meeting heard that two public information evenings were held in the Mountbolus Community Centre, and details of the proposed development went on public display for a six week period, during which time no submissions were made by members of the public.

The enhancement works due to be carried out in Mountbolus include the undergrounding of all telecommunications and ESB overhead cables; the remodelling of the road layout, including T-junction; new footpaths and renewal of existing footpaths; provision of on-street parking; installation of pedestrian crossings; traffic calming and management measures; verge and tree planting; improvement works to Village Green and the enhancement of public lighting.

The Mountbolus public realm works are being part-funded by the Town and Village Renewal Scheme, the central aim of which is to support the revitalisation of towns and villages in order to improve the living and working environment of their communities and increase their potential to support more economic activity in the future.