A Chance to Shape the Future Together

Fingal County Council’s Town Centre First process for Skerries is now under way, and Sustainable Skerries is taking part. And maybe you should, too! There will be a survey later on during the process, and you can also still (just about) join in. Read on…

We believe this process is very important for two reasons.

First, it is likely to have a direct influence on which projects in Skerries town centre are prioritised and better placed to attract future funding. The process will lead to an agreed action plan for the designated town centre area, and projects included in that plan are likely to be in a stronger position when funding opportunities arise.

Second, and just as importantly, it gives people and groups across Skerries a chance to work together, including people who do not always find themselves in the same room, or on the same side of local debates.

The first two workshops of a total of  have already shown how valuable this can be. In small-group discussions, people from different backgrounds and perspectives were asked to think about what we would like Skerries town centre to be like in ten years’ time. What emerged was not division, but a strong sense of shared appreciation for the town we live in, and a surprising amount of common ground.

People spoke about a town centre that is welcoming, lively, attractive and accessible. They talked about better public spaces, thriving local businesses, active travel, visitor facilities, outdoor gathering spaces, heritage, culture, social connection and a town centre that works well for residents as well as visitors.

For us at Sustainable Skerries, these conversations matter deeply. The future of the town centre is closely linked to climate action, biodiversity, active travel, local food, public space, community wellbeing and resilience. It also connects strongly with the wider aims of the Skerries Community Association, of which we are of course a part, which are sustainability and inclusion. A good town centre should be a place where people of all ages and abilities feel welcome, where local businesses can thrive, and where it is easy to walk, cycle, meet, shop, rest and take part in community life.

The process focuses on the designated Skerries Town Centre area, shown in the map above. This is important to note: the area does not cover all of Skerries, and many issues we care about extend well beyond it. However, within this defined area, the Town Centre First process offers a real opportunity to shape priorities and help turn agreed ideas into fundable projects.

A number of SCA committees and associated community groups are already engaging with the process, including Sustainable Skerries, Skerries Tidy Towns, Skerries Cycling Initiative, Age Friendly representatives and others. The workshops are also bringing together residents, retailers, local businesses, heritage interests, community organisations and others who care about the future of the town centre.

The remaining workshops are expected to move from place and vision to objectives, survey results, draft actions, and finally an action plan and town team. The current schedule is:

Date	Workshop theme
3 June	Place Diagram and Place Analysis
30 June	Vision and Strategy Objectives
15 July	Review of Survey Results and Drafting of Actions
28 July	Finalising Action Plan and Town Team

The sessions take place in Skerries Library and start at 6.30 pm, with sign-in from 6 pm. It would be best to arrive from 6 pm, especially if you are joining for the first time. Groups and individuals who are interested in the future of Skerries town centre can still get involved, particularly if they are able to attend the remaining workshops. You can contact Fingal County Council’s Town Regeneration Office at townregenerationoffice@fingal.ie and/or come along to the next workshop and sign in on arrival.

Why?

This is a chance to think beyond individual projects and ask what kind of town centre Skerries needs for the coming decade. We may not all agree on every detail, but the process so far has shown that many of us want the same broad things: a vibrant, sustainable, inclusive, climate-aware town centre, rooted in local community life and worthy of the wonderful town we already have.