New-look Athlone Garda Station to host Community Open Day this weekend

An Garda Síochána will be hosting a community open day at Athlone's revamped Garda station this Saturday (June 18) from 11-3pm.

The event at the Barrack Street premises has been organised part of the force's centenary celebrations.

Members of the public are being invited to take part in tours of the newly refurbished and extended station on the day.

A variety of local and specialised Garda units will be displayed at the open day, including the Dog Unit, Mounted Unit, Armed Response Unit, Roads Policing Unit, Scenes of Crime Unit, and Water Unit.

The four-hour open day will include a 'Sensory Hour' from 11am to 12 noon.

Contracts for the €8.3 million upgrade of Athlone Garda Station were signed in 2018, when the Sligo-based firm Kilcawley Construction was appointed as the main contractor for the development.

The station revamp was affected by delays arising from the pandemic, but was completed late last year.

The project has significantly increased the size of the Garda station, as it incorporated the former social protection building which had been vacant and was next door to the original station premises.