The Ballyshannon Historic Towns Initiative has been shortlisted in the Community & Heritage Award category of the forthcoming KPMG – Irish Independent Property Industry Excellence Awards
The event is being held The Convention Centre, Dublin on Thursday, November 24.
The Ballyshannon Historic Towns Initiative was a partnership between Donegal County Council, Ballyshannon Regeneration Group, Dedalus Architecture, local property owners, The Heritage Council and the Department of Housing, Local Government & Heritage.
Conservation works undertaken included roof and chimney repairs, addressing structural issues, installation of cast-iron rainwater goods, reinstatement of timber sash windows and doors, repair of traditional hand-painted signage, meanwhile use of three vacant shopfronts and the repair and reinstatement of historic shopfronts informed by best conservation practice and historical evidence.
Over the past four years, Donegal County Council have undertaken Historic Towns Initiatives in Letterkenny, Ramelton and Ballyshannon.
The work has seen an investment of over €1 million by The Heritage Council and the Department of Housing, Local Government & Heritage and €275,000 by Donegal County Council as well as 30% match funding by local property owners.
The Ballyshannon Historic Towns Initiative represented a cross‐directorate partnership between the Housing, Corporate & Culture Directorate and the Community Development & Planning Services Directorate of Donegal County Council and was co-managed by the Heritage Officer and Conservation Officer.
Under the Historic Towns Initiative, every local authority can submit one application to the scheme each year for a historic town with an indicative population of more than 1,500 inhabitants.
Speaking to Ocean FM News, local Councillor Barry Sweeney believes the award is deserved for the community of Ballyshannon:
