Cullen unveils €6.5m community centre
The centre, in a building on Mitchell Street which has served the town since 1858, was officially opened by Arts, Sport and Tourism Minister Martin Cullen after a development project costing €6.5 million.
Mr Cullen said it was through “a commitment to a set of shared values, and a shared history” that the centre was realised.
“This completed project provides a combination of complementary services on this site, which I believe will genuinely enhance the community spirit in this town,” he said.
The Presentation Sisters originally moved to a new church and school on the site 150 years ago, from their former home on Church Street in Dungarvan, and members of the Presentation Order community were present at the opening to see the writing of a new chapter for their building.
Among the organisations to base themselves at the new Presentation Community Development Centre are Dungarvan Care of the Aged, which provides services to 65 senior citizens; County Waterford Community Childcare Facility, which caters for 80 children; Sesame Special Needs Pre-School; and the Health Service Executive’s children’s therapy centre.
Also calling the centre home are the 11th Waterford Cub Scout unit which will celebrate its 40th anniversary next year; Dungarvan Community Development Project which works with over 200 members of the community each week; and Focus Ireland, who deliver their single men’s transition programme, family transition programme, tenancy support, and long-term accommodation support from the site.
Completion of the project was made possible by financial support from the Department of Justice, Department of Environment, Dungarvan Town Council, Pobail, the HSE, and Waterford Institute of Technology.
Mr Cullen commended county manager Ray O’Dwyer, the management committee of the Dungarvan Community Development Project and members of the town council for their “focused work, resulting in the provision of this one-stop community centre”.
