This article is from page 50 of the 2013-05-21 edition of The Clare People. OCR mistakes are to be expected so download the original SWF or the rendered page 50 JPG
THE upgrade and facelift of Francis Street in Kilrush in time for the National Famine Commemoration cost the local town council € 109,000.
Kilrush Town Clerk John Corry explained that the funding was setaside in this year’s budget and the upgrade was to take place as part of the 2013 road works.
“I had heard figures bandied about that it cost the council € 200,000 to upgrade Francis Street. It cost € 109,000,” he said.
Council workers ensured that the work was completed in time for the Famine Commemoration on May 12.
The total budget for the road’s programme for this year is € 115,000.
Each year a substantial amount of the funding goes to one particular project.
The council decided that the town’s widest street would be upgraded for 2013.
Reservations have been raised however that the council will leave itself short for any remedial or repair works it may have to carry out in the town as a result of another bad winter.
Mr Corry said the Department of the Environment, Community and Local Government has already given the local authority permission to use development contributions if such a case arises.
Complaints about the layout of parking on the street have also been made.
New white lines drawn up as part of the upgrade make for very tight parking spaces according to motorists.
Cllr Liam Williams (FG) said that the spaces at the top of Francis Street, from the post office towards the marina, are particularly tight.
Cllr Tom Prendeville (FF) said he witnessed a situation where a woman could not get out of her car when it was parked outside the bank.
She was parked correctly as were the drivers in neighbouring spaces but the markings were too close together to allow people to exit their cars.