Madam, – In the past few days Athlone Town Council has removed beautiful healthy trees from Athlone’s promenade, close to the town bridge over the majestic River Shannon. This is to make way for building works associated with the controversial new contemporary art gallery at Fr Mathew Hall.
The trees have graced this historic site for over a century and their destruction is officially sanctioned by the Council using the Part 8 planning process.
I feel it is irresponsible and immoral for Athlone Town Council to spend €3.2 million developing a contemporary art gallery when a fraction of this sum would be adequate to restore and refurbish the building, respecting the original architectural design and sparing the trees.
In light of the disastrous fiscal state of the country I was hoping that the project would be shelved with the allocated money diverted in favour of an urgent deserving project. Unfortunately, a reprieve did not happen.
It is a pity that the 2009 McCarthy “Bord Snip Nua” report was not implemented in respect of Athlone Town Council. The report recommended the abolition of all town councils. A more fitting place for the contemporary art gallery would be the Athlone Town Council meeting chamber at the Civic Centre. Hopefully, it will become defunct if the McCarthy recommendations are implemented and Athlone’s rich heritage can be spared from further damage. – Yours, etc,