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The
Social and Commercial Renewal of Churchtown
Churchtown
is a small village in north County Cork that went into
serious decline from 1950. The Churchtown Village Renewal
Trust was founded in 1997 to support the renewal and development
of Churchtown village in North County Cork and what has
happened in this small village is now recognised by many
as a model for other small communities. The Churchtown
success is built on three essential pillars:
Pillar
1: Voluntary Sector
Churchtown Village Renewal Trust
Churchtown Development Association
Churchtown GAA.
Pillar
2: Local Commercial Risk Sector
Led
by local entrepreneurs in the tourist, housing and enterprise
sectors. The simple facilities that "tourist product"
provides in a small community such as accommodation,
food, a place to bring a visitor (or entrepreneur, politician
of civil servant) is a vital requirement to a renewal.
Pillar
3: Regional and Governmental Sector
Supported
by FÁS, Ballyhoura Development Ltd, Cork North
Enterprise, Cork County Council, Bord Fáilte
and Department of Tourism, Recreation and Sports.
On
their own the first two pillars of the development are
capable of creating the environment for success over a
long period but implementation can be expedited exponentially
with appropriate support from regional and governmental
agencies.
Any
pillar needs a sound foundation and the following four
key ingredients are included in the base that supports
the Churchtown pillars:
-
Planning in advance but flexible to a changing environment
- Professional voluntary and executive management
- Project management and self development training
- Excellence in communications
In
summary, a carefully planned combination of social and
commercial initiatives supported by governmental agencies
with excellent local planning, professional management,
appropriate training and first class communication has
created a dynamic environment in what was a dying village
up to 1996.
Further
information by emailing Gerry
Murphy or ringing him at +353 (0)86 2563 813.
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