Delvin to have say on future

Residents of Delvin are working hand in hand with Westmeath County Council to implement a community action plan, which was unveiled in recent weeks.

In a process lasting just over a year, the Delvin Community Action Plan was drawn up by consultancy firm Future Analytics, in consultation with residents and businesspeople in Delvin and the local authorities.

The committee tasked with implementing the plan – led by Andrew Lawlor (chairman) and co-ordinator Cathal O’Sullivan – met on Tuesday night last, and are expected to hold a full public meeting in the coming weeks.

Since the beginning of 2018, the committee has trained to implement the plan and to assist community groups, businesses and other stakeholders in drawing down funding.

The document features a SCOT analysis (strengths, constraints, opportunities and threats), followed by a comprehensive chart of objectives comprising small, medium to long term goals.

Among the strengths in Delvin’s favour, the SCOT study found, was its strong sporting, agricultural and business communities, tourist attractions (castles, historic houses and the history of the parish), location and quality of infrastructure.

Key constraints identified include derelict buildings, the lack of a publicly accessible 24-hour ATM machine, incomplete broadband access, lack of professional services (legal/accounting), lack of accommodation for tourists and lack of investment in/access to built heritage, and a paucity of houses available for rent.

Opportunities were identified across a number of different headings – infrastructure, enterprise, streetscape and environment, community, recreation and linkages, and tourism.

The need for traffic control was highlighted, and the fact that on average, 3,000 vehicles pass through the town every day was seen as a strong potential for positive impact on business that could be harnessed.

On the enterprise front, it was suggested that financial institutions be attracted back to Delvin; that a development opportunity exists at South Hill; that Delvin’s proximity to Dublin should front a push for more business investment, as would the availability of vacant, ready-to-go retail units.

Opportunities under the streetscape/environment heading called for improvements to lighting in the village, and the positive exploitation of an amenity like Ballyhealy bog, just outside the village on the road to Ballivor (eco-tourism).

Under the community heading, calls were made for a cultural/arts centre, a youth hub (incorporating CoderDojo, drama, readings, a library and resources for schools), a town noticeboard, a craft centre and accommodation for the local men’s shed group.

Finally, under recreation and tourism, residents suggested the development of an amenity cycle track around Delvin, walking routes, a new playground, improved access to Delvin Castle and the Church of Ireland ruin, and the generation of employment from heritage/history initiatives.

Meanwhile, to complete the SCOT analysis, a number of potential threats to Delvin’s future development were identified. Key among these are traffic disruption, the drain of commercial activity to larger towns, the impact of Brexit on the farming community, the cost of doing business (rates, waste, water).

Residents also bemoaned a “lack of leadership” and “joined up thinking” in the community, the lack of job opportunities for young people, and the lack of a county council rep from the area, and withdrawal of central government funding for services and community/enterprise schemes.

All of these suggestions were taken on board and, combined with hard statistical analysis, fed into the main body of the plan, for which a number of organisations have been engaged as partners.

Under the infrastructure heading, the “revision of key entry points to strengthen the ‘announcement’ of Delvin [and] to build a sense of place” has been identified as a priority, short-term project, and will involve the local Tidy Towns committee. On the medium-term, Westmeath County Council is to look at a traffic management and road safety review at several locations in Delvin, incorporating possible improvements to parking.

On the enterprise front, short term goals involving the county council include the extension of market rights for Main Street, and a review of vacant enterprise units. Other medium-to-long term goals include a possible partnership with An Post to provide an ATM in Delvin, and the establishment of a proposed Delvin Chamber of Commerce which would promote the village as a location for investment.

A number of projects were identified as achievable in the short-to-medium term under the streetscape and environment heading. The roll-out of a town enhancement scheme, partnering the county council, local community groups and private enterprises, is identified as a priority. This will include repainting, signage and renovation works. Short term projects include improved maintenance of green areas, an age and disability-friendly review to inform the design of “future public realm proposals”.

Under the community heading, the redevelopment of the handball alley on Main Street as a cultural/arts centre is to be pursued as a short-term, priority goal, with other short-term goals including the erection of a community noticeboard and the provision of supporting and training for community groups in accessing public funding.

Securing a new library and childcare facility for the village are seen as medium and long term goals, while other short term community projects include the provision of an allotments and the establishment of a community arts programme.

On the recreation/linkages end, the development of a loop walk around Delvin, including the installation and upgrading of footpaths, will be a priority project in the medium term, to be pursued by the county council.

Finally, unsurprisingly for Delvin, the objectives outlined under the tourism heading are plentiful. A long term strategy is to commission a tourism and marketing strategy for Delvin, led by Westmeath Tourism, Fáilte Ireland, local community groups and Delvin Tidy Towns.

A short-to-medium term project is to secure funding for a dedicated Delvin Heritage Trail and associated promotional material, which would incorporate surrounding hinterlands to “promote local history and cultural heritage”.

A medium term goal would see a partnership between community groups and Delvin Parish to establish a dedicated history and genealogy centre in the village, which would facilitate learning in both local and family history and attract the diaspora.