Dundalk’s Bridge Street has finally reopened in part after a four-month regeneration closure. Business owners had been fighting a five-year battle to get the street redone, so this is a big step in the right direction for them. One third of the street is now back open, with a good amount of work already done.
Joanne Lavelle from Michael Lavelle Estate Agents in Bridge Street has been a strong advocate for the regeneration ever since the push for it began. The key issues with the street, she says, were that it had fallen into substantial neglect and disrepair.
Joanne describes the street before its regeneration as “the least appealing street in Dundalk”. She says there were excessive vacancies along the street, and it just was not in good condition.
Joanne acknowledges that a key factor in the regeneration agreement was the collaboration between the council and the contractors. She and all the other business owners on Bridge Street are grateful for the council’s cooperation.
Despite the effect the closure had on the street’s traders, Joanne states that even the reopening of a third of the street was worth the wait. The business owners are all very excited for the full completion of the street, with a large amount of the work finished already.
