This article is from page 4 of the 2008-01-22 edition of The Clare People. OCR mistakes are to be expected so download the original SWF or the rendered page 4 JPG
A TWO and half year project cost- ing €27 million will come to fruition at New Road, Ennis this Wednesday when Clare County Council’s new Corporate Headquarters opens for LUI BALeASE ;
To facilitate the relocation to Aras Contae an Chlair, all county council offices in Ennis will remain closed to
he public today and tomorrow.
The completed facility will provide accommodation for 300 staff, as well as meeting rooms, a staff canteen, laboratory, mayor’s office and coun- cil chamber and three party rooms for the elected members. 320 car parking spaces are provided at the rear of the building.
The Corporate Headquarters build- ing incorporates a number of envi-
ronmentally-friendly measures and will operate as a naturally ventilated building. Some solar panels and a wood chip heating system have been installed. Following a tender proc- ess, Clare Wood Chip of Flagmount has been selected to supply the wood chip for the building.
Cllr Patricia McCarthy, Mayor of Clare welcomed the opening of the new offices and referred to the ease of
access to the various council services that will now be available at the new location. Mr Alec Fleming, Clare County Manager, added, “I would like to pay tribute to the council staff for their patience and co-operation in relocating from the old offices and the move back to Aras Contae an Chlair this week. I now look forward to the council providing a service of the highest standard from Aras Con- tae an Chlair.”
Mr Michael McNamara, Director of Services, explained that the building had been designed in a user-friendly manner.
He said, “The council was very conscious of the need to put in place the highest standards of accessibility to all parts of the building and serv- ice within. We have been working with the National Disability Author- ity with a view to attaining accredi- tation under the Excellence through Accessibility Scheme.”
Sections of the council were relo- cated to several sites around Ennis when the old offices on the New Road site were vacated in mid-2005. Following a tender process that gen- erated a lot of interest from many of the country’s larger developers, the firm of Michael McNamara & Co Building Contractors was chosen as the preferred option to design, build and finance the provision of the new building. The contractors com- menced work in January 2006.