Pre-Christmas 'pause' of Athlone streetscape project takes effect

A pre-Christmas 'pause' of the main work being undertaken on the multi-million euro Athlone streetscape project has come into effect.

Dermot Killeen of Westmeath County Council's Regeneration Project Team said "major construction operations" associated with the project were put on hold from Friday last, December 8, "as agreed with local stakeholders".

The temporary stoppage of the work is designed to limit the disruption to pre-Christmas trade at Sean Costello Street and other nearby areas.

"Last week the contractor was backfilling any open excavations on Sean Costello Street and installing tarmac surfacing so as to open up as much of the street as possible to pedestrians for the Christmas, with some areas to remain fenced off with pedestrian barriers," Mr Killeen told the Westmeath Independent.

"There will be no more excavation, backfill, paving works or heavy construction traffic from now until early January."

He added that the contractor for the project, John Cradock Ltd, would "maintain a small presence on site between now and Christmas, and will continue with some minor operations involving only labour and tools such as cleaning, tidying, erection of hoarding, installation of railings and general maintenance of pedestrian barriers, etc."

In addition, the council said it was hoped that the Marist Brothers statue at St Mary's Square, which was removed months ago due to the street works, would be put back on public display before Christmas.

A section of Sean Costello Street is being pedestrianised as part of the project, which also takes in Mardyke Street, Pump Lane and part of St Mary's Square.

The work is scheduled to be fully completed by April.