€300,000 for Watershed as Borough Council splash the cash

IMPROVED city centre mobility, the continuation of an investment package for the city and the maintenance of local employment were the main factors that influenced Kilkenny Borough Council's budget for 2010.

This is according to County Manager Joe Crockett who said that the renewal of Kilkenny City Centre would improve the future investment
and tourism potential of Kilkenny.

In his outline of the budget he said that there would be continued provision of funding to help maintain and improve the presentation of public places to allow Kilkenny to take advantage of significant tourism opportunity.

He said that there would also be a continued financial committment to flagship projects such as Talbot Tower, the city walls, Rothe House, Butler Gallery and the Watergate Theatre. "The positive commercial opportunities created by such projects will be of immense benefit to local business," he said.

The principal features of the budget are: €500,000 for improvements to High Street, John Street and Rose Inn Street; €55,000 for provision of variable messaging signage; €150,000 for Rothe House; €150,000 for customer services initiatives; €300,000 for The Watershed; €135,000 for Arts and €100,000 towards the relocation of Butler Gallery.

There will also be an in increase in the arts education grant from €6,000 to €10,000, €20,000 towards the proposed city archive under the Tholsel, €5,000 for the purchase of schoolbooks, €2,000 for a concert in The Watergate, €10,000 for the Watergate Theatre, €1,500 for outreach at Butler Gallery, €20,000 for the Tidy Towns fund, €15,000 for upgrading of car roads, €14,500 for tourism promotion and €20,000 towards a skate park.