Allocated under the REDZ pilot initiative
Kildare South Fine Gael TD Martin Heydon has today welcomed confirmation of funding of an additional €100,000 for the Tanyard Project in Ballitore. The funding has been allocated under the REDZ pilot initiative by Minister for Arts, Heritage & Regional Development Heather Humphries. This funding is in addition to €25,000 allocated for Ballitore earlier in November under the town and village renewal scheme.
“This is very positive news for Ballitore and will allow the hardworking Ballitore Tanyard Committee to proceed with their plans to refurbish the Tanyard and make it a focal point for the village of Ballitore. Working in conjunction with Mayor of Kildare Cllr Ivan Keatley, this application was supported by Kildare County Council.
“The proposed project will see the old Tanyard buildings converted to a theatre performance space with meeting rooms and toilet and kitchen facilities. The Tanyard buildings date back to 1801 and sit at the heart of Ballitore. The renovated space will serve as a recreational area as well as an area for local community groups to come together. This project also has the potential to increase the tourism aspect of Ballitore as part of Ireland’s Ancient East with its history as one of Ireland’s oldest Quaker settlements.
“REDZ (Rural Economic Development Zones) are functional, rather than administrative, geographic areas that reflect the spatial patterns of local economic activity and development. They are, in effect, sub-county zones within which most people live and work. The central objective of the REDZ model is to utilise the synergies and interdependencies between rural towns and their outlying areas to generate local economic activity. The 2016 REDZ scheme is providing funding for projects of differing scale and ambition that share the mutual objective of supporting economic development in rural areas.
“The Ballitore Committee have been working with Kildare County Council, Kildare Leader Partnership and Ballitore Tidy Towns to progress this project and together with Cllr Ivan Keatley, I look forward to continuing to work with them to see the completion of the project which will be a great boost for the residents of Ballitore and surrounding areas.”
