What will our towns look like in ten years?

‘What will our towns and villages look like in 2036?’ was the question posed at a panel discussion held in Cavan’s Town Hall as part of Eco Féile.

Director of Services Paddy Connaughton tells the room that “hopefully” the Virginia bypass will be completed by then.

Speaking to the Celt, he said the project is due to go to planning next year.

“It’s looking good at the moment,” he commented.

“We are working with our partners TII, our consultants are working on it and we are preparing the documentation for planning.”

He said there will be park and ride facilities at “both ends of the bypass” as well as facilities for cycling.

“That’s an environmental project as opposed to just a pure roads project,” he said, explaining that “active travel, sustainability, biodiversity” are being considered as part of it.

Meanwhile discussions on the county town veered towards new developments such as the new Tesco and the arrival of Penneys next year, which is expected to bring more people into Cavan Town.

“That’s a sign of footfall increasing so I think that’s to be welcomed,” he described.

“We are reforming our traffic bye-laws and that’s with a view to improving the traffic flows, particularly on the main street,” Mr Connaughton described.

These bye-laws will focus on getting people who are visiting Cavan “longer term” to avail of facilities such as the multi-storey carpark.

“We have hundreds of car parking spaces within a five minute walk of the town core.

“We have ample parking it’s just about getting greater awareness and signage.”

Speaking on transportation in the country as a whole, Professor of Transportation and Director for Trinity Centre for Transport Research Brian Caulfield said “we are not where we need to be” and said Ireland is experiencing a “housing crisis” and a “transport crisis”.

“The answer is to get those two entities talking to each other,” he believes.

“I would like to see as planning developments are going in for housing that transport and local transport links are key to that planning permission going ahead,” he suggested.

Meanwhile, Cavan’s Regeneration Officer Caroline Brady asked the question; “Apart from going into town to do your shopping, what else is there?”

She recently asked her son what would attract young people into Cavan Town, to which he suggested an outdoor swimming pool. While Ms Brady debated the logistics of this, and certainly some people in the crowd liked the idea, it made her realise that young people are “moving away” from going out drinking.

“They’re much more focused on their health and looking after themselves,” she said, suggesting that they “pilot certain schemes” to try in Cavan’s towns and villages.

One 16-year-old boy from Ballyconell reached out to Cavan’s Regeneration Officer recently, asking about a ‘third space’ for teenagers.

“It’s a new concept, a place that can be developed for teenagers that’s not school and not home, and essentially it’s a place where they can hang out and feel safe,” Ms Brady explained.

“That’s something I think we could look at and that we could consider.”

She said this could be a “safe place” for teenagers, where people don’t feel “threatened by a group of youngsters hanging out in a particular area”.

“There’s huge opportunity around that,” she believes.