Historic day for Ballina town centre
Minister Dara Calleary cuts the tape at the official opening of the Innovation Quarter in Ballina. Pictured in the front row are, from left: Orla Bourke, Acting Senior Executive Engineer, Ballina Municipal District; Catherine McConnell, Mayo Co Council Director of Services, John Magee, Head of Mayo's Local Enterprise Office; Joanne Grehan, Mayo Co Council Director of Services; Cllr Mark Duffy, Carmel Murphy, Ballina Municipal Administrative Officer; Kevin Kelly, Chief Executive, Mayo Co Council; Minister of State Alan Dillon TD, David Dwane, Chairman, Moy Valley Resources; Rose Conway Walsh TD, Minister of State Dara Calleary TD, Cllr John O’Hara, Michelle Mulherin, Cllr Michael Loftus, Cllr Annie May Reape, Declan Turnbull, Head of Ballina Municipal District; Carmel Hughes, Rebecca Ferguson and Architect MCC Robbie Maguire. Picture: John O'Grady
Yesterday (Monday) was a day over 280 years in the making as the ribbon was cut on the Ballina Innovation Quarter, a €7.5 million project to transform the town’s Military Barracks into an enterprise hub.
The extensive renovations and refurbishments of the Barracks, which originally opened in 1742, were completed towards the end of last year. Since then, Block B of the building is now fully occupied while Block C is about 80% occupied. The companies occupying these blocks are MFA Consulting Engineers, Accelerating Change Together (ACT), Clarke & Conlon, GDI Ventures and OX Timber Frames, with several other offices and co-working spaces occupied by individuals.
The IQ’s largest block, Block A, is currently unoccupied and is earmarked for an anchor tenant to occupy the entire block. It is hoped that when the entire IQ is fully occupied, it will create a total of 200 jobs and indirectly support another 60 jobs.
The ribbon-cutting was performed by local Minister of State for Trade Promotion, Digital Transformation and Company Regulation Dara Calleary, who hailed it as a momentous day for the town.
“This is a definite statement of intent. We are combining history and intent with a signal towards our future.
“In Ballina, we move along our projects. We don’t hold back.”
Minister Calleary said he was very confident about the future of the facility.
“We will fill out the IQ. There is some scepticism that it is empty but we will fill it out with the type of businesses we want to see in our town centre.
“This will be a vibrant enterprise hub that we will all be proud of.”
Other speakers included Minister of State Alan Dillon who said the new centre was "a much-needed, high-quality enterprise space".
"It addresses both vacancy and dereliction in an innovative way,” he said.
Chairman of Moy Valley Resources David Dwane said the IQ can be a cornerstone of Ballina’s future.
“When the Military Barracks were first occupied, Ireland was a different place. Ireland is a different place today and there is a different sort of occupation here and we welcome the best and brightest innovators to our town,” he said.
Chief executive of Mayo Co Council Kevin Kelly said the official opening was not an end to the project but rather a new beginning for Ballina.
“The IQ will breathe new life into the town centre and will be a catalyst for Ballina to be modern and innovative within this revitalised space,” said Mr Kelly.
Cathaoirleach of Mayo County Council Cllr John O’Hara said it was an exciting day for Ballina and north Mayo, hailing the restored Military Barracks as the "latest addition to the Ballina armoury".
“Making the old modern is not easy to achieve but it has been done here beautifully,” said Cllr O’Hara.
He reserved praise for the role played by former TD and Senator Michelle Mulherin who helped to secure funding under the Rural Regeneration and Development Fund for the project in its early stages.
Minister Calleary also highlighted the role Ms Mulherin played in bringing the project to fruition.
“Michelle showed so much tenacity in this project, identifying the funding stream that was available and seeing it through,” he said.
