Work on Diamond civic space area in Donegal Town to start on January 22

There has been a warm welcome by Donegal Municipal District councillors to the news that work is to commence on January 22 on what will be an upgraded Diamond central civic space area in Donegal Town.

The announcement was made at this week’s monthly meeting of the MD in Donegal Town, where it was also revealed that 97 buses a day, pick up and drop passengers off at the bus stop located outside the Abbey Hotel, and that did not include tourist buses which arrive in the summer and at other times of the year.

At a previous meeting an analysis of the number of users and their specific timeframes for utilising the bus parking facilities outside the Hotel was given and it was said that discussions had commenced with a local landowner who is developing a site some 400 metres from the existing bus stop, which may help resolve the congestion.

It was again pointed out that much of the traffic congestion on and off the Diamond was created by the bus stop location.  

Regarding the Donegal Diamond Outdoor Public Space Scheme commence date, Mr. Micheál Naughton said that he very much welcomed the new work that was just about to start.

“We have been waiting on these works for a while which were to be done before Christmas, but other things had to be sorted and I very much welcome January 22 as the starting date,” he said.

“Basically there will be new lights, the planting of new trees, a new canopy area for the likes of bands and concerns and new furniture for locals and visitors to relax and enjoy the vibrancy of the town 

“Hopefully this work will be completed within four to five months and the town will be freed up for the summer season.”

He said that he knew there were a few concerns about traffic in the town but some of the concerns that he raised about this including the pedestrian crossing near the courthouse had  been responded to by the local roads engineer. 

“When all this is done, it will be a great thing for the town and as was alluded to at the 97 buses arriving there every day. Donegal Town is a good town and getting better every day. It is growing all the time.

“And when the Diamd area is completed, we will be looking at getting the pier area a facelift and another great aspect of the tourism product that the town has to offer. We are known all over the world and it is important that we keep these facilities upgraded and refreshed and that developments continue to the betterment of everyone who lives here.

Regarding the new one way system, he said that he was now satisfied that very little car parking spaces would be lost, but as councillors they now needed to be looking at more car parking species for the town.      

In welcoming the start of the works on the outdoor area on the Diamond, Cathaoirleach Cllr Tom Conaghan said that with any change, people were questioning, but he said that the majority of businesses were behind these projects on the Diamond and one way system. 

He recalled the doom and gloom that was expressed by some when the town bypass was first mooted and now it is being heralded as a huge success in the years since. 

He said he would make no bones about “some of the people knocking the one-way system”. 

He said that the message had to go out that Donegal Town was no longer a small town and was getting bigger each year. This required change and innovation.

He recalled some years back of the town struggling to even get a minor football team on the pitch, now they had two great teams and had just won an Ulster minor Club trophy. That was just one example of the expansion of the town over the last couple of decades. 

Cllr Conaghan added that he had heard “umpteen people on the radio” knocking the one way system and who had no problem with it or had objected at the time, when it was first suggested. 

He said that the negativity and criticism was not good for the wider town and that he was prepared to stand up for projects that would ultimately enhance and make Donegal a more attractive place to come to and gain access to. 

“We have put far too much time, effort and investment into this over the last number of years to let it fall down,” he said.