This article is from page 22 of the 2011-06-21 edition of The Clare People. OCR mistakes are to be expected so download the original SWF or the rendered page 22 JPG
A LANDSCAPED green area that has been developed on the site of the former Tradaree Court Flats in Shannon has been officially opened.
The mayors of Shannon and Clare marked the occasion by joining members of the project team and officials from Clare County Council to participate in a tree planting ceremony on Tuesday morning.
The apartments, which were originally built in the 1970s to house single parent families, comprised 30 one-bed apartments. They formed part of the property portfolio taken over by Clare County Council from Shannon Development in 2004. The flats, which were in a deteriorating condition, were finally vacated with the re-homing of the last occupants in August 2009. The two apartment blocks were demolished in December, allowing for the reinstatement of the ground for the provision of a green area. Speaking at the official opening, the Mayor of Clare, Councillor Christy Curtin, said: “The completion of this project is a positive development for Shannon and represents a significant, positive contribution to the town by Clare County Council.
“Prior to their demolition in late 2010, the apartment blocks had fallen into disrepair. Incidents of anti-social behaviour and littering in the vicinity of the unoccupied buildings had caused some concern within the local community. In response to these concerns, the Council identified the demolition project as a high priority, given the economic and social costs resulting from the current condition of the two vacant blocks,” he said.
According to Tom Coughlan, Clare County Manager, “The aim of the demolition project, which has been completed on time and within budget, was to eliminate risk and ongoing costs to the Council and to provide additional open space for the benefit of the residents of Tradaree Court.”
“The new green area is a great addition to the town and a wonderful amenity for people in the area. I have no doubt it will be well used by the people of Shannon and surrounding communities for many years to come,” he added. Sean Hegarty, on behalf of Hegarty Demolition, stated he was pleased to have had the opportunity to undertake a project in his native county.
The project, which was included in the Council’s Social Housing Investment Programme in 2009, was funded by the Department of the Environment, Heritage and Local Government.