New centre can become major tourist attraction for Mayo town

A new heritage centre in Westport should tell the story of the town and provide an all-season year-round tourist attraction for visitors, a local councillor has said.

Welcoming a proposal from the Clew Bay Heritage Centre to move to a new location at the old Westport Courthouse at the junction of Castlebar Road and Distillery Road, Fine Gael Cllr Peter Flynn said it was "great to see the courthouse finally coming back into action". 

"We certainly don’t need another derelict building at a key entrance point to our town and the move will take their current premises away from the Quay and the constant flooding out there, which would have taken it away in a matter of time anyway.

“Westport as a town needs a strong heritage centre and I do think we need to look at it as a heritage centre that also tells the story of Westport. It would also be a welcome tourist asset on days when the weather is not nice enough for a walk out to the quay.” 

Cllr Flynn urged that the development would not include the small car park adjacent to the courthouse, stating this element should be retained in council ownership for other purposes.

“The carpark to the east of the building is a lovely walled carpark. I am hoping that will remain in the ownership of the council and that we can develop it by including it in the public realm around Westport. At the moment, many people drive here and do not even see the building because it is so covered with trees and bushes.” 

Cllr Gerry Coyle said the redevelopment of the lighthouse in Blacksod had been a game-changer for tourism in the area.

“This is a similar project and our experience is that people will go to see it because if you build it they will come. The same thing has happened with our Sonas OPW centre - 24,000 people have been in it already and that only happened because Mayo County Council had the foresight to lease the lighthouse from Irish Lights and bring it to the community. So I think what you are doing in supporting this project is a great development for Westport.” 

Head of the district, Seamus O Mongain, clarified that while the carpark ownership remains with the council, it does form part of the lease agreement with the Heritage Centre.

Cllr Flynn urged again that it be kept separate “as it is a lovely little area and I do think we should retain control of it".

Director of Services Joanne Grehan said she would liaise with the tenderer on this issue. Members approved the proposed development subject to agreement on the car park.