A number of Sligo’s iconic heritage buildings, including Wehrly Bros., Hargadon Bros., and Mullaney Bros. are to benefit from much-needed support and investment through the Historic Towns Initiative 2020 (HTI).
Historic Towns Initiative underway
Historic Towns Initiative gets underway in Sligo
Hargadon Bros. in O’Connell Street, Sligo is to benefit from the Historic Towns Initiative 2020
Following a grant application by the Heritage Office, Sligo County Council earlier this year, the Heritage Council allocated €200,000 to the local authority for the ‘Heritage Led Regeneration of O’Connell Street, Sligo (Phase1)’. The project will see conservation works undertaken to nine buildings in O’Connell Street and represents a significant boost to the historic streetscape in the heart of Sligo City.
The HTI is being delivered by Sligo County Council in partnership with the property owners, both the local authority and owners are providing match funding towards the project. The conservation works planned under the HTI include roof and chimney repairs, installation of cast-iron rainwater goods, reinstatement of timber sash windows and doors, the repair and reinstatement of historic shop fronts using traditional materials and informed by best conservation practice.
Duncan McLaren, Conservation Architect with Dedalus Architecture will provide conservation supervision for the project while the works are being undertaken by McDermott & Trearty Construction Ltd. The works will be completed by November 2020 and Sligo County Council looks forward to working with the property owners and all stakeholders to ensure that the initiative is a success.
Siobhan Ryan, Heritage Officer with Sligo County Council said that
‘The support of the building owners, Sligo BID, Sligo Chamber of Commerce, Sligo Tidy Towns, IT Sligo, Sligo Heritage Forum and Sligo Tourism was critical to the success of the HTI grant application. This partnership approach demonstrated a high level of support for heritage led regeneration within the historic core of Sligo and a deep understanding that the survival and successful regeneration of our historic town needs to be based on, and informed by, an appreciation of and investment in our built heritage. Experience has shown that places that have a strong civic pride in their historic buildings, and employ best conservation practice, make the most attractive places to live, work and visit.’
The Sligo Historic Towns Initiative contributes to the achievement of the Sligo City Public Realm Plan and will compliment the works recently undertaken through the O’Connell Street Enhancement Programme. All nine buildings that are the subject of the Sligo Historic Towns Initiative are Protected Structures or are included in the O’Connell Street Architectural Conservation Area (ACA).
Along with Sligo, five other towns countrywide benefitted under this year’s Historic Towns Initiative including; Ballina, County Mayo (€140,000); Clones, County Monaghan (€103,000); Roscommon, County Roscommon (€157,000); Ramelton, County Donegal (€200,000) and Tralee, County Kerry (€200,000).