Plan a foot to extend Ballina’s Pearse Street revamp

Plan afoots to extend Pearse Street revamp


Anna Marie Flynn

BALLINA Town Council looks set to extend the refurbishment of Pearse Street.
The executive of the local authority revealed plans to extend the street revamp to Lower Pearse Street and onto Dillon Terrace, as a continuation of works carried out on the main thoroughfare over the summer months.
In a detailed presentation, Director of Services, Paul Benson, told the December monthly meeting of Ballina Town Council that the authority’s plan for a link road between Pearse Street and Market Road had been delayed due to an ongoing Compulsory Purchase Order (CPO) on properties along that route.  As monies had been previously granted under the town’s hub status, by the European Regional Development Fund, to carry out the construction of the link road, this €300,000 grant is now proposed to go into extending the Pearse Street project.
Funding had also been allocated to the first phase of Pearse Street which is now complete, and the Jackie Clarke Library, which is currently underway. In all, €1.4 million grant aid was allocated through the hub status fund.
“We have to complete projects in receipt of funding within a certain time frame, and rather than let the money for the link road go due to its delay, it was thought it may be better reallocated to continuing the Pearse Street revamp,” explained Mr Benson.
“The works proposed include footpath widening, parking bays, lighting, trees, benches and generally enhancing the area as a gateway to Pearse Street, our main shopping area. The Pearse Street project has made a dramatic impact on the town and this extension of that would have a similar effect. He would enhance the town centre greatly,” he added.