The old historic town of Clarecastle underwent rapid expansion over the last decade. But in common with many similar size towns, it was another case of ‘build now, plan later.’ The town’s proximity to Ennis, Shannon and Limerick saw it become something of a hub for new home construction, but without a corresponding development of the facilities required by any new and growing community.
And in common with other communities, it was left to local initiative and enterprise to address the deficits and fill the gaps bequeathed by others. The first step was to establish Clarecastle Development Company, which was tasked with determining needs and identifying workable solutions for the almost 6000 strong community.
Given that a high proportion were young families, there was a clear demand for provision of good quality play facilities for children. In cooperation with the local authorities, an available site was identified close to the village centre and a 21 year lease agreed. Comprehensive plans were drawn up for a state of the art playground - catering for children from age 2 to 12 - with the bulk of funding secured from LEADER. Clann Credo also supported the initiative.
Clarecastle gained hugely from the provision of a new amenity and the essential building blocks of a new community were put in place.
Location: Clarecastle, Co. Clare
Website:
http://clarecastlecommunity.ie/
"We found CCL very understanding of our local needs and keen to push forward always in a positive manner. -Sean Rice, Committee Member Brownstown Community Development"