Athy InterReg advances to Wales

Chris Ruan (MP, Rhyl), Ann Jones (AM, Rhyl), Tom Parry (Chairman, Denbighshire County Council), Rainsford Hendy (Kildare County Council), Glyn Williams (Mayor of Rhyl).

29 July 2003: Members of the Athy/Rhyl Regeneration Project Steering Group accompanied by project officers and Kildare County Council Officials have visited Rhyl, on the North Wales coast, on a fact finding mission, as part of a major partnership promoting the economic regeneration of both towns.

The Athy/Rhyl Regeneration Project is funded through the European Interreg programme and is a joint partnership between Kildare and Denbighshire County Councils.

The initiative addresses the shared socio-economic issues of Rhyl and Athy and promotes the development of networks of businesses, develops activities to encourage Business Start ups and provides support for existing businesses and groups that are under represented in the workforce.

A delegation from Denbighshire visited Athy earlier this year, and were given an insight into projects ongoing in Kildare to help promote the needs of local businesses.

During this visit the Athy delegation were taken on a structured tour of the Rhyl area, and visited Rhyl Community College, and the site of Rhyl Community Enterprise Centre, before viewing the Marine Lake and the Foryd Harbour.

They were also shown the Women’s E-Village project and met representatives of local businesses, community enterprises and local groups within the Rhyl area.

At a function organised by Denbighshire County Council, Chris Ruan (MP), Ann Jones (Welsh Assembly Member) and Tom Parry, Chairman of Denbighshire County Council, all expressed expectations that this project coupled with investment from other sources will assist in the development of both towns equally.

The visit was concluded with a meeting of the Joint Steering Groups, established to monitor the progress made to date, during which a session was held to identify potential projects that have the capacity to benefit the communities.

Project Officers on both sides are already mapping out ideas that can be developed into joint initiatives between the two towns. The next meeting of the Joint Steering Group will take place in Athy during October, fuller details of some of the projects will be available in advance of this meeting.