Public's views sought on €30m Hodson Bay waterfront project
Roscommon County Council will host a second and final public consultation event for the proposed €30m Hodson Bay Waterfront Park Project in the Hodson Bay Hotel on Wednesday next, April 22, from 2pm to 7pm.
Members of the public are to be given a second opportunity to have their say on the ambitious tourism project which, if it comes to fruition, would see the Hodson Bay area being transformed into one of of the leading centres for water-based tourism in Ireland.
This event follows an initial public consultation held last October during which feedback was received from residents, stakeholders and visitors on the proposed design options for the project.
The state-of-the-art waterfront park would see the construction of a continuous promenade along the length of the Hodson Bay shoreline, an extension of the Waterways Ireland marina to provide up to 50 new berths for cruisers and visiting craft, and the creation of a new immersive water experience.
The project also proposes the delivery of a new water sports pavilion with amenities including showers, toilets and a café, while a revised access and mobility strategy promoting pedestrian-friendly and sustainable transport options is another feature of the development.
Next week's drop-in information session marks the next step in the community engagement process to gather feedback on the design options being considered for what's been described as one of the most ambitious tourism developments ever to take place in the Midlands region.
The Hodson Bay Waterfront Park project has already received initial funding from Fáilte Ireland under the EU Just Transition Fund. This funding was allocated to take the proposed plan through the design and environmental evaluation and statutory consent stages, and for the completion of a Tourism and Economic Benefit Report.
Feeback from members of the public can be relayed back to Roscommon County Council in three ways: in person at the public consultation event; by completing an online community survey or by email to: regeneration@roscommoncoco.ie.