Renovation & Energy Upgrade of Ringaskiddy Community Centre

Descriptions

Ringaskiddy Community Centre has reached it’s 50th Anniversary and remains a focal point within the village. The Community Centre continues to serve the local community as a safe haven for many groups. Most notably, the centre boasts an idyllic layout to serve drama and theatre groups due to it’s raised stage and lighting elements, in addition to the access to a backstage area, and potential to accommodate an audience of up 180 people. The centre operates on a not-for-profit basis and takings from rental are repurposed back into the centre as best decided by an assigned committee.Due to the age of the building and it’s rudimental construction, it has been acknowledged that the Community Centre is in extreme need of renovation and improvement. The building struggles to retain heat, and increases fossil fuel usage and decreases value for money for any group, and for the Community Centre committee.A proposal (subject to LEADER Grant) to carry out renovations of the centre in line with making the Community Centre a modern and economical building, the proposals include a major improvement to the centre’s energy usage. It is proposed to make the building near Carbon Neutral following the installation of PV Solar Panels, Heat Pump and energy efficient LED lighting. In addition to this, it is proposed to vastly improve the insulation levels of the building.A further improvement to the effectiveness of the building in terms of accessibility and inclusivity, includes a resurfaced carpark with improved surface water drainage, dedicated disability parking space, and proposal to install a disability access ramp to the main entrance door, and related toilet facilities within the building. The installation of an Electric Vehicle charging point will compliment the ‘green’ and environmentally friendly ethos being established in Ringaskiddy Village. The new building will also provide for a new Community Library, a Men’s Shed and a number of Technological Work Stations.