Firm appointed to help redevelop two former Garda stations

A Limerick-based architect firm has been appointed to design and oversee the redevelopment of two former Garda stations in Ballintubber and Tarmonbarry.

As part of a tender process, an architect-led integrated design team was sought by Roscommon County Council to help refurbish the vacant Garda stations into community facilities.

The Ballintubber project involves transforming the building into a holiday lodge and community café while in Tarmonbarry, a tourism and multipurpose creative hub is being developed.

The successful contractor, Feeney McMahon architects, has been commissioned to bring both projects through the design and planning to the construction and handover stages.

The Ballintubber element of the project is intended to provide a functional multi-purpose community space, that includes a community café, residential accommodation and community facilities “that will contribute to community growth and well-being as well as providing much needed visitor accommodation”.

Users of the facility will include the local community, youth groups, Active Age groups, IT training room/remote working hub, students, tourists etc.

The Tarmonbarry project involves the renovating and repurposing of the former Garda Station as a key tourism and multipurpose creative community space.

According to the tender documents, the project “has significant merit in terms of the revitalisation, repurposing and protection of a former public building within the village core into a trailhead centre with key tourism information and a functional multi-purpose community space (youth groups, Active Age groups, IT training room/remote working hub, creative space) for use by all”.

The Hub is designed to encourage both visitors and local residents to engage with the newly reimagined space. The ground floor will feature a universally accessible reception area, a VR Interactive Tourism Hub, a meeting room, kitchen facilities, toilets and storage areas. It will also serve as the trailhead centre for the area.

On the first floor, there will be a flexible meeting room and community space, supported by additional storage and catering facilities. Outside, a courtyard at the rear of the building will provide a versatile space for community gatherings, events and performances.

An adjacent outbuilding will be repurposed to accommodate craft and creative enterprises, or tourism-related service businesses. It is intended that the facilities, when completed, will be managed and operated by local communities/social enterprises.

The proposals for the two vacant buildings arose from feasibility studies and public/community engagement.

The value of the awarded contract is €280,720 and its duration is 18 months. Rural Regeneration funding of more than €280,000 has previously been allocated for the two projects.

Roscommon County Council purchased the vacant Garda Stations under the 2022 Town and Village (Building Acquisition Measure) Scheme.

•Published as part of the Local Democracy Reporting Scheme