Thomastown Community Network (TCN) Development Plan 2020-2026 Submittal - 15 June 2018

2016 census: 2,445 people

Projected population according to LAP 2006 -2016:

2014 - population 2595

2020 - population 2815

Highest age group - 39-39yrs : 414

2nd highest age group 0-9yrs : 410

3. Economic Development and Employment

• Support of the town’s Tourism initiatives will help attract visitors to the town, bringing business opportunity and economic growth.

• Good quality, innovative affordable housing will attract younger families to settle in the town and utilize the good, established school facilities

• Providing working/studio facilities for graduates from Craft and Pottery schools would encourage employment and development

• Agriculture?

• High speed internet would attract businesses to the town and allow for home based and online work patterns such as e-commerce. Additionally, high speed internet is required for all town/village centers to ensure central retail/office opportunities are maximized.

• Thomastown would benefit from an IT hub / co-working development in the center of town.

• For example, businesses in Thomastown have felt an effect from the Post office moving out of the town center. Outlying developments that will take people out of the town centers should be discouraged.

• Kilkenny City would be an appropriate town to be put forward as a ‘support city’ to Dublin. The parks, river, festivals, retail, restaurants, etc. all provide a good quality of life without the crazy housing prices and congestion of Dublin. Thomastown could provide spill-over support for Kilkenny City for this venture.

• “Business improvement districts” could be set up by the council to help establish an identity, ie. “The Square” in Thomastown. It would then be up to the businesses within the district to work together to create a directory and improve the streetscape, signage, lighting, benches, green space, etc. to make their district a pleasant place to visit. The goals and efforts would need to be coming from the business owners within the district but if the framework is established by the council it could be enough to spark some cooperation amongst the local businesses. It is very hard for a single business to start an initiative like this but if the council takes the first step then at least there’s a chance it could take off.

5. Transportation & Mobility

• There is a linear transport system is in place between Kilkenny and Waterford.

• Proposed loop link, using electric vehicles/mini buses, between the other district towns such as Graiguenamanagh and Callan and the small towns and villages. To be utilised by tourists and locals.

• Train : Only train station stop between Kilkenny and Waterford. Should be more utilised. Transport required from station to town centre for elderly and disabled - Electric Vehicle.

• Railway station to be reopened and utilized as a celebrated entry point into Thomastown.

• Encourage the general use of electric vehicles. 2 charging points exist in the Quay car park.

• Bus : Proposed new electric mini bus service between Kilkenny and Thomastown and surrounding towns for tourists, students and the elderly.

• Tourist buses – to encourage smaller tailor-made package type for tourist visits as opposed tourist coaches/buses.

• Cycling – Trail Kilkenny Cycle routes.

• Walking: currently working of 2 Community Loop walks.

• Refer to the Walkability Study, (Age Friendly Committee, Kilkenny County Council) May 2018.

• Encourage visitor, residents and shopkeepers to utilise the existing free parking in the Quay carpark, Chapel Lane, the Library parking & Mill Street,

• Current status of the bypass requested.

• Beware of falling into the trap of trying to build more roads to reduce commuter congestion. It has been shown around the world that when more roads and lanes are added to help reduce congestion it only broadens the commuter belt and the new roads and lanes are soon just as congested. This is not necessarily a major problem in Kilkenny now but something to be considered. This goes hand in hand with rural development.

• Something like a “carpool Kilkenny” website could help provide a more sustainable alternative for commuters.

7. Tourism

• Proposed that Thomastown to be a part of the ‘Dig a Little Deeper’ of Kilkenny Tourism Plan.

• Within the Tourism County Tourism plan, it was proposed that Thomastown be considered to have a focus as a Creative Arts & Cultural destination hub for the County, supporting all existing creative schools and educational facilities, such as The Grennan Craft School, The Pottery Skills Course, The School of Food, as well as the creative arts initiatives/creative annual festivals & events which have been established in the town. For example : St Patrick’s wheelbarrow Dash, Thomastown Creative Arts Festival, The Art of Upcycling, Pumpkins in the Park and Christmas in Thomastown.

• Visitors to the town would have access to all the natural & built amenities of the Norman Walled Town such as The Thomastown Heritage Walk, the proposed Community Loop Walks, the River Nore and associated recreational sports, the Thomastown Community River Trust/Weir Pools etc. Visitors also have access to a variety of shops, unique accommodation, such as Glamping sites, Air BnB, B&B, as well food outlets such restaurants, cafes, pubs and well-being treatment facilities.

• There needs to be a more proactive approach to the development of rural tourism in County Kilkenny. One way of doing this is have initiatives in geographical areas, for example the triangle of the towns/villages of Thomastown/Inistioge/Graiguenamanagh all have accessibility to the river and beautiful countryside. They should be linked in terms of activities, rural transport and marketing activities and sold as a product (for example the triangle of South Kilkenny). Someone from Kilkenny Tourism/Kilkenny County Council needs to drive this project with consultation from the local communities. The section of the Thomastown-Inistioge river walk needs to be further promoted and marketed and a rural bus link provided to bring people back, as most people just do it one way and there is no transport back.

• There needs to be more concrete initiatives/plans in the area of Tourism and more support from the local authority in terms of organising things. Volunteers from local communities have limited time and resources as they have businesses to run and are giving of their time on a voluntary basis. Rural Tourism is a great driver of economic growth and thus resources need to be put into developing it.

9. Infrastructure

• Update on water supply.

• Sewerage to meet the demands of the town.

• Completion of TURP.

• Utilising renewable energies.

• Solar farms to meet the demands of the town.

• 2 x existing Electric Vehicle re-charge points. Provision to be solar powered?

• Internet Technology:

Proposed to access the existing one Gigabyte connection originally destined for the Social Department services for use by Community building requiring high speed connections.

• Create a free Wi-Fi zone in the town.

• Bring high speed Internet connection to Rural areas surrounding the town.