Galway City Council has appointed a design team led by urban design and engagement specialists Allies and Morrison and including transport and ecology specialists TOBIN and conservation architects Karol O’Mahony Architects, to support them in producing the strategy.
The project is being supported under the Town Centre First Heritage Revival Scheme (THRIVE), which is co-funded by the Government of Ireland and the European Union through the ERDF Northern and Western Regional Programme 2021-27. THRIVE supports locally developed plans that take an integrated strategic approach to the regeneration of urban centres and locally selected projects that assist in creating urban centres that function as viable, vibrant, and attractive locations for people to live, work and visit while also functioning as the business, service, social, cultural and recreational hub for the local community.
Another key aspect of the THRIVE funding is its alignment with the New European Bauhaus Principles. The initiative promotes solutions that are not only sustainable, but also inclusive and beautiful, while respecting the diversity of places, traditions, and cultures in Europe and beyond. A key focus of this is engaging people at a grassroots level, and incorporating the views of stakeholders into the process of design and implementation
As such, the Integrated Urban Strategy for the West Area will be a collaborative and community-driven process, designed to reflect the values and aspirations of local people.
Over the coming months, the project team will carry out a series of engagement activities with residents, businesses, and stakeholders to better understand how the area is used, what people value most, and where there are opportunities for improvement.
These insights will inform the development of a vision, objectives, and ideas for key projects and interventions. These could include enhancements to buildings, streets and spaces within the West Area, as well as opportunities for temporary uses and activities.
Following this initial phase, the emerging vision and ideas will be shared for further public and stakeholder feedback. This input will help refine the strategy and shape a practical delivery and phasing strategy for future implementation.