Group aim to develop local amenities in Boher

It’s all action in Boher at the moment. Whilst we were in lockdown and most things had grounded to a stop, a small group of locals got together and worked their socks off to form a local community development group and secure funding in excess of €130,000 to develop their local amenities prioritising inclusion and access for all in their local community and surrounds.

Boher Community Development Group was established in April 2020 with the aim of improving community integration and socialisation in the local area, and thereby improving the quality of life and well-being of local residents. The group is entirely voluntary and consists of five members from the locality: Chairperson, Nicola Welford; Secretary, Edel Quirke; Treasurer, Paul McKeogh, and committee members Dawn Kenny and Niamh Hogan.

The main objective of Boher Community Development Group at present is to provide opportunities for outdoor recreation and exercise for the local community.

Boher Community Development Group has been very successful in securing LEADER funding from North Tipperary Development Company to the value of €100,684, and has further secured in excess of €30,000 from the Tomar Trust. The local community has been extremely supportive of Boher Community Development Group and has donated funds in excess of €25,000 to the projects. The funds received will be used to refurbish and develop the community’s existing sensory garden into a biodiverse garden and community amenity, with universal access for the entire community. This project will deliver a universally accessible wet pour safety surface, new inclusive sensory play equipment, and planting systems to encourage a biodiverse wildlife population in the amenity. The project will also include the construction of an access ramp, footpaths, and a carpark with dedicated disabled parking spaces.

Particularly exciting is the plan to install a bespoke glass geodome for use for propagation and indoor gardening; and as a classroom and community facility for talks, club meetings, and social events. The geodome will be only one of two currently in Ireland and a truly unique space to have available to local groups. Boher Community Development Group also intends to make the geodome amenity available to local groups who may wish to engage in community gardening; or to facilitate educational activities about gardening and biodiversity or other leisure activities.

Boher Community Development Group’s sensory garden refurbishment will provide increased access in particular for young families to the community sensory garden, and will be a valuable enhancement to the quality of life and well-being of local children. The equipment items in the sensory garden have been carefully selected to provide for inclusion for disabled users and individuals on the autism spectrum. Boher Community Development Group Chairperson Nicola Welford said: “There are no universally accessible recreational or play facilities for local children in Boher so this project will provide this amenity for the first time, and we look forward to welcoming children and their families from the surrounding areas too.”

The project works have commenced in Boher and Boher Community Development Group plans to have the project completed this summer. You can track the project’s progress and see updates from Boher Community Development Group on their Facebook page @bohercommunitygroup or on their Instagram @bohercdg.

FURTHER DETAILS

If you’d like to get in touch with Boher Community Development Group you can reach them at bohercommunitygroup@gmail.com.