boyle local area plan 2012 - 2018 - Roscommon County Council
boyle local area plan 2012 - 2018 - Roscommon County Council
boyle local area plan 2012 - 2018 - Roscommon County Council
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PART II: DEVELOPMENT STRATEGY FOR <strong>2012</strong> – <strong>2018</strong> & BEYOND Chapter 4: Social & Community Facilities<br />
CHAPTER 4:<br />
SOCIAL & COMMUNITY FACILITIES<br />
4.1 INTRODUCTION<br />
RCC recognises that building strong and inclusive<br />
communities is a key element in achieving sustainable<br />
development. Access to cultural, social and community<br />
facilities is central to promoting a sense of community<br />
and social inclusion. In addition to economic<br />
development, sustainable communities require the<br />
provision of and access to education, health, childcare<br />
services, recreation and leisure amenities, community<br />
support services, and a good quality built environment.<br />
The <strong>Council</strong> aims, where possible, to respond to the<br />
community of Boyle and their needs.<br />
Community infrastructure also includes traditional <strong>local</strong><br />
services such as small shops, post offices, and licensed<br />
premises as these also help to preserve and enhance a<br />
sense of community at <strong>local</strong> level. In addition to this, the<br />
enhancement of a sense of place and belonging within<br />
communities is hugely dependent on opportunities to<br />
meet, interact and form strong social networks (see<br />
Chapter 8). It is important to retain these services, where<br />
viable.<br />
For some members of the community there are more<br />
barriers in accessing the same opportunities, facilities<br />
and services, whether through age, gender, disability,<br />
unemployment, location, origin or language barriers.<br />
Social inclusion refers to the manner in which all<br />
members of the community are integrated equally, and it<br />
seeks to reduce barriers such as those mentioned above.<br />
Specific polices and actions will be required for these<br />
people, in order to enable them to obtain the same quality<br />
of life as the remainder of the community, which is<br />
crucial to a strong and inclusive community.<br />
4.2 EXISTING CONTEXT<br />
4.2.1 Community Facilities<br />
RCC seeks to ensure that adequate provisions are made<br />
for community facilities. Facilities in Boyle and in close<br />
proximity to the town include tennis courts; a library,<br />
<strong>local</strong> angling, a GAA Pitch, the Boyle Golf Course, an<br />
all-weather soccer pitch, the Boyle Community Centre,<br />
the Family Life Centre, the Boyle Garda Station, and<br />
the Pleasure Grounds mini pitch, amongst others. See<br />
appended Maps 9a & 9b, which are not exhaustive. A<br />
grant was secured to provide an Outdoor Adults<br />
Exercise Facility beside the existing Children’s<br />
Adventure Playground in the Pleasure Grounds, in<br />
Boyle Town. This new facility was completed in<br />
January <strong>2012</strong>.<br />
Photo 14 & 15: Children’s Playground & All weather<br />
pitch in the Pleasure Grounds<br />
Children’s facilities in the town include; a public<br />
adventure playground, sports clubs, Children’s Summer<br />
Camps, Scouts, and Girl Guides, amongst others. Boyle<br />
Library provides a venue for exhibitions by <strong>local</strong> and<br />
visiting artists and organisations. A wide variety of<br />
musical tastes are catered for in other pubs in Boyle.<br />
Boyle has a thriving musical society, which presents an<br />
annual stage musical (award winning) in the town hall.<br />
RCC recognises that the further development of new<br />
and improved community, tourism, and recreation<br />
facilities will assist the growth of tourism in Boyle. The<br />
development and enhancement of such facilities will<br />
improve the attractiveness of the town for both the <strong>local</strong><br />
community and visitors.<br />
Photo 16: Boyle GAA Club<br />
Voluntary, Cultural and Sporting Associations in the<br />
<strong>area</strong> include Boyle Active Age Group, Boyle Handball<br />
Club, Curlieu Wheelers (cycling), Boyle/Ardcarne<br />
Community Games, <strong>Roscommon</strong> Boy Scouts, Boyle<br />
Celtic F.C., Badminton Club, Tennis Club, Hill<br />
Walking, Rowing, Boyle Marching Band, Boyle<br />
Musical Society, Tidy Towns Association, Boyle GAA<br />
Club, and the Curlew Ramblers, amongst others. The<br />
<strong>Council</strong> will continue to seek to provide a range of<br />
social, recreational and community facilities to meet the<br />
needs of all of the <strong>area</strong>'s residents, regardless of age or<br />
social background.<br />
Boyle is also home to many of the county’s renowned<br />
festivals including the Boyle Arts Festival and the<br />
Boyle World Rally Festival, amongst others.<br />
Boyle Local Area Plan <strong>2012</strong>-<strong>2018</strong> Page 37