This article is from page 59 of the 2008-12-02 edition of The Clare People. OCR mistakes are to be expected so download the original SWF or the rendered page 59 JPG
SHANNON town has much on offer to suit wide-ranging interests — an at- tractive shopping outlet, a good mix of ambitious, thriving businesses and an ideal location close to many tour- ist attractions.
Much has been achieved in the town over the years, in terms of plan- ning and development, while several other key projects are currently being planned.
The local town council ensures that the upkeep of the town is a priority, while dozens of community and vol- untary groups aim to enhance the lives of the residents in the town.
From the schools’ activities, to the sports clubs, to the talent groups, to the senior citizens group, every age group 1s catered for in Shannon. The establishment of international group Le Chéile na Sionna is a reflection of the changing nature of the town, where many foreign nationals have come to live in recent years.
While there is an abundance of hobbies available for the people of Shannon, plans are ongoing in rela- tion to new, welcome initiatives.
Plans are afoot to establish a walk- ing trail in the region. The trail will take the shape of a loop, taking in Shannon and Bunratty. While the proposal is still in its infancy, it has created a huge amount of interest and
there is a sense of optimism that it will get off the ground.
The development of a pitch and putt course is also a strong possibility and four sites have been identified in the town. A recent public meeting to dis- cuss this yielded positive feedback and the people of Shannon firmly believe that such a facility would be a huge boost to the town.
The SkyCourt shopping centre of- fers a wide range of choice to shop- pers in the mid-west. Since it opened in 2004, SkyCourt has attracted several top names in retail and has
earned a fine reputation as a reputa- ble shopping outlet.
Its recent launch of the gift card scheme will undoubtedly augur well for SkyCourt, which boasts a rich blend of fashion, food and conven- ience outlets in its malls.
Newer shops including Lifestyle Sports, Apache Pizza and Subway have joined outlets such as Dunnes Stores, O’Brien’s Sandwich Bar and Xtra Vision, which have been in ex- istence for a number of years.
Given that Shannon Airport is lo- cated in the area, every effort has
been made to ensure many tourist options are available to those who travel into the country. Shannon Development plays a major role in promoting tourist activities in the immediate area, where the local ho- tels and restaurants in Shannon and surrounding areas are top class. Given that many businesses are lo- cated in the town, the role of Shan- non Chamber of Commerce is criti- cal. It is recognised as one of the fastest growing chambers in the country. More than 170 companies are members, which represents 8,500
employees.
Shannon Chamber of Commerce works for the economic development of Shannon town and the adjoining area. The chamber makes every ef- fort to ensure that Shannon becomes a dynamic centre with cultural, sport- ing and educational facilities suitable for a town of its size. As Shannon is largely dependent on industry, it also works towards attracting new busi- nesses to the town, with a view to creating employment.
The chamber actively engages in ways to assist its members and en- courage development. It has set up its own online poll, a service that allows its members to express views on is- sues that impact on their businesses. The chamber uses this information to better understand any concerns its members may have and address these TESS CoaSe
It has four sub-committees that en- sure a cross-section of the commu- nity benefits from its work — retail; school and youth career support; liv- ing, working and investing in Shan- non and enterprise and industry.
All of these groups work together to promote Shannon and to ensure that the town will continue to thrive in every way.