Letter: Another view in the ongoing debate over Mayo's county town

Sir,

Over the course of the past week or so, your newspaper has been the forum of discussion over the current state of the county town.

A young man, Robert, wrote to you, stating his point of view, to which he is entitled and to which most would agree. In reply to this, Ronan also wrote to the paper outlining his viewpoint, which was the opposite to Robert.

The president of our Chamber of Commerce added to this dismissive tone, again unhelpful to the plight of a young man trying to engage his community in a discussion regarding the reality for an age group they seem removed from, in many aspects.

One wrote from the point of view of a bird ready to take flight to leave the nest, another upon his return to the nest after experiencing life beyond - two completely different stages of life.

I am a woman in my mid/late 20s. With the conclusion of my studies, I made the decision not to go abroad and seek my fortune elsewhere, and not to be crippled by rents and the cost of living in Dublin. I decided to stay in Castlebar, contribute to my community, and be part of the change. Patriotism or foolishness? Admittedly a bit of both!

Whilst both letters have their merits, discussion has once again begun on the state of Castlebar. Our plight has been broadcast on the Oliver Callan Show. It is beyond embarrassing to see this discussed on a nationwide show, along with our squabbling in the comments section.

Nothing constructive will come from the bickering between residents on social media. Evidently, nothing would come from our elected representatives, no matter how many consecutive terms in office we grant them. This resurgence for change must now come from the community itself. The evidence is there. All it lacks is the leadership.

The ‘LOVE Castlebar’ group was a great initiative. Admittedly after the pandemic, this group of volunteer activity on social media has fallen a bit quieter, yet it is a fantastic example of what the town was able to achieve in the aftermath of the recession, in regard to events and groups within the town along with volunteering opportunities. We can do it again.

Ronan speaks about the facilities of Hastings Insurance MacHale Park, Mayo FC and the recent achievements of Castlebar Celtic, and the resurgence of the women’s teams. All good and well for sports fans.

But what about those who aren’t? We can’t seem to organise a festival in this town, but wouldn’t McHale Park make a great potential venue?

A festival was attempted last year, to no avail. The 1798 celebrations were a recycled attempt coinciding with Mayo Day celebrations.

With well-established charity events already being carried out during this weekend, additional new events on the Mall should have accentuated the celebrations, alas there was no coordination. It wasn’t ambitious enough.

The fireworks were the highlight of the festival, something that could again be attempted for the likes of Halloween. We used to do it; why can’t we again?

We have good pubs in this town. The potential for great. A little investment is all that is needed.

A nightclub is not the be-all and end-all of a town the size of Castlebar. It doesn’t need to be open every weekend. But it would be nice to have one on the bank holiday weekends, after matches in MacHale Park with visitors from afar, for the big nights after a show in the TF, and above all, for the Christmas period. After all, it has taken a Westport man to believe in the Castlebar nightlife again!

We have turned our back on the town’s greatest asset: the lake and the town river. With a great resurgence in outdoor activities since the pandemic there has never been more potential for the town to capitalise on our greatest resource.

Recent calls for a designated swimming area in Lough Lannagh need to be acted upon. Many of your readers will have learnt to swim there. Many of your younger readers would fail to believe we once had a diving board.

But of course, we got rid of that, and of course, Mayo County Council wouldn’t reinstate it in this modern age for fear of insurance claims.

There has been an increase of groups swimming in the lake, paddleboarding, park runs and run clubs catering to both young and old, every ability, along with the usual dedicated kayakers and the famous dragon boat. Yet, could any of your readers tell me of how to get involved with these groups?

We need a dedicated page whether it be through the Leisure Complex, Lough Lannagh Village, or the likes of LOVE Castlebar to spread the word, to gain new recruits and to market Castlebar and the lake for the potential it has.

The current pontoon needs to be developed, not only for ourselves but for the ATU students who are avid users of our lake, along with potential future amenities.

Wouldn’t it be lovely to hop out of the lake after a cold swim and to have a barrel sauna waiting for you at the shore? Westport can capitalise on its sea swim and saunas, why not Castlebar with its lake?

The health benefits have long been advertised, but since the pandemic, many people young and old alike have taken up the hobby.

I see no reason that a spot at the lake couldn’t go up for tender every year, with a no-trace policy and various environmental factors taken into consideration, along with the long sought-after coffee truck, perhaps closer to the bridge than the car park to encourage people to get their steps up.

Oh but of course, our elected representatives will join in the calls one minute and the next cite problems with the town by-laws as to why it cannot be achieved. It could very well be achieved if they want it to.

I took a walk around the lake recently. The car park spaces need repainting, cars were just left anywhere and everywhere, with no sign of a traffic warden, as is often the case during the after-work rush to get a walk in.

The bins were overflowing as per usual. There has been a rodent problem around the lake now for years, so surely a good place to start would be with basic hygiene and maintenance of emptying bins?

The grass was not cut around the grounds until the first week of May this year, a bit more in June, and a good bit more was left until about 10 days ago, most still pending. We don’t even respect the dead in this town, with the old graveyard constantly in a state of overgrowth, the children’s plot has been an absolute disgrace in terms of basic maintenance.

The bridge connecting both sides of the lake has been fit for a wash and paint for quite a few winters, as has the bridge at the Aldi roundabout - although I will commend efforts to replace the lights there.

The simple addition of lights and their alteration of colours for various events add a certain much-needed bit of atmosphere and soul to the town. It only took six years to replace!

Lough Lannagh is a great asset to the town if we were to even finish the project. The new graveyard side has not been tarred.

After any amount of rainfall, potholes and craters are left in the maintenance. An accident waiting to happen, a claim waiting for Mayo County Council. This will only get worse into the winter months, as too will the lighting situation on that side of the lake.

As a young woman walking a lap after work on a dark winter evening, I wouldn’t feel particularly safe.

The skate park has recently been given the go-ahead at the entrance to the car park to the lake. Perhaps, this could be an opportunity to finally straighten out the entrance, and the associated pedestrian crossing, as it is another accident waiting to happen.

The Leisure Complex is a great amenity to the town but has not reached it full potential.

The Market Square has been developed, with music, outdoor eating areas, and food trucks and stalls - a great addition to any town. This needs to be marketed better, capitalised on.

The square itself is long overdue for a power wash. Presentation is key. It only took one letter to this publication from the street traders and ratepayers of Hopkins Road for their street to be cleaned.

Why can’t the whole town be maintained? We are all taxpayers. Is this a reflection of how to get things done in the modern age?

Robert points out the dereliction on Main Street, with weeds on every corner. He is not wrong. Hugh Wallace said it was depressing. He is not wrong.

Our ‘horrendous car park’ behind Main Street is quite frankly the only reason that the shops that are open, remain open. Although recent renovations of this car park have made it more inefficient, congested and confusing for both motorists and pedestrians alike.

We have no adequate bus station in the town. A site has recently been put up for sale on Station Road. Might we put our heads together and realise some potential there?

Castlebar may not have the strategic geography of Westport to profit from. The future of this town, in my opinion, depends on the ATU (former GMIT). We have an opportunity to capitalise on the lack and affordability of housing in Galway city and other university towns.

The former Military Barracks, which is intended to be used by the Mayo College of Further Education, is too big of a site for such an organisation.

I believe a presence can be given to them whilst their current Castlebar site is redeveloped, along too with other derelict sites that are in close proximity to the current Newport Road campus.

The Barracks would provide a closed, secure campus in the heart of the town, within walking distance from anything a young student could ask for. The site has the potential for lecture halls, accommodation, canteen and library facilities.

This could be a state-of-the-art undergrad campus, whilst the current facilities in St. Mary’s could be used as a post-graduate and research hub. The vacant site on the corner of Mountain View would be a great site for purpose-built student accommodation.

The current students of the ATU praise Castlebar, yet we let them down in terms of student nightlife.

I could talk about the never-ending saga of the Imperial Hotel, with a preservation order on a timber room and timber staircase. After decades of dereliction and dampness, I wonder how ‘preserved’ they are now? Ironic.

I remember sitting in my first-year Irish class and our teacher explaining the plans for the Old Post Office. “A youth café which aims to be finished by the time you’re in third year or TY, girls.” Some of my peers in that class have completed seven-year medical degrees and still it is not complete.

Many of your readers would have been forced to emigrate in the ‘80s in search of these same rewards, might we not seek to break this seemingly intergenerational curse? Provide for our youth in different aspects of their existence, so they may do the same for future generations.

The youth of this town have been let down. Constantly. Intergenerational investment in every aspect is crucial for building strong resilient communities.

It makes life more enjoyable for those who come after, whether this is through mentorship programmes, community projects, financial investment or creating opportunities, advocacy, and through cultural preservation and education.

Generations have failed at this in Castlebar. We can play the blame game all we want; the facts remain true. By investing in our community, and fostering relationships with the youth, older generations can aid the installation of values of stewardship and responsibility.

This creates a positive cycle of giving back and improving future prospects. Collaboration ultimately leads to stronger, more vibrant communities where both old, young and generations to come will thrive.

This dismissive approach by our elders and community leaders is quite frankly depressing.

A fine example of the lack of compassion, sense of community and proactiveness Robert alludes to. Our youth are not taken seriously in this town, and their voices are not listened to. Who could blame them for wanting to leave?

Yours sincerely,

A Castlebar resident.

(Name and address with editor).