The regeneration of the Market Square, Portarlington is set to continue
The redeveloped Market Square, Portarlington
AT the latest meeting of the Graiguecullen, Portarlington Municipal District, the council received an update on the restoration works planned for the Market Square in Portarlington.
The request for an update was delivered by Councillor Aidan Mullins who has been heavily involved in pushing for the restoration and upgrade of the central square in Portarlington, and he received the following response from the Area Office.
“Laois County Council has applied for funding for the new detailed design that has been submitted for upgrades to the Market Square and surrounding landscape under the Town and City Regeneration Fund. The members will be notified once the planning allegations are announced.” Councillor Aidan Mullins hailed the news, praising the over a hundred-and-fifty thousand euro investment that had already been allocated to the square for the regeneration of the Market Square and toward the purchase of the long-shuttered cinema. In terms of future works, he also urged the Area Office to look at removing the weeds from the square and installing new public lighting, as patches of the square were always locked in semi-darkness most nights.
Councillor Paschal McEvoy seconded the Motion and praised the hard work of those involved in the current and future restoration efforts of the Market Square. He said:
“It felt like Portarlington had been left behind for years and now we are seeing the fruition of the hard work that Aidan and the others have put into it and hopefully it will totally bring the Square back to life. Well done to everyone who was involved.” In concluding statements, a representative of the Area Office highlighted the work two Council officials, Angela and Denise, had put into sending out countless applications to secure funding, highlighting that their incredible efforts needed to be acknowledged.
