Galway City Council has today announced a roadplan confirming the key services which will reopen to the public on Monday when Phase 1 of the government’s plan to ease restrictions starts.
During phase 1, groups of four people will be allowed to meet outside while social distancing as the country starts to reopen.
As a result, a number of amenity areas and outdoor facilities which have been closed or restricted up until now, will begin to re-open.
Galway City Council’s roadplan confirms that graveyards will reopen, but with limited opening hours. They will remain restricted to 10 people during funerals and burials and graveyard masses are still paused.
People will once again be allowed to go to the beach – during the lockdown they were restricted to daily exercise.
Carparks at beaches will remain closed except at Silverstrand.
Salthill Park and Cappagh Park will have restricted opening hours, subject to grass cutting. The same rules will apply to other parks except Woodlands, which will be open during the first week of Phase 1.
Galway City Museum won’t reopen until 20 July. The pool at Leisureland will also open on this date, but the gym will remain shut until 10 August.
City Wide Junction Safety Improvements and mobility improvements will also recommence on Monday once social distancing can be achieved. Grass cutting will restart, as will Local Improvement Works – also where social distancing can be achieved.
Traveller Accommodation Maintenance will remain restricted to urgent and essential maintenance calls.
Indoor facilities, community centres, changing rooms, boxing clubs will all remain closed until Phase 5, which is expected to begin in August.
Playgrounds will also stay closed – and will remain closed until 29 June, when Phase 3 starts.
Works scheduled to restart in Phase 1 include upgrades to Kirwan Roundabout, N6 Bothar na dTreabh resurfacing at Ballybrit, Headford Road resurfacing, Bus Shelter upgrade works, Road Resurfacing Programme Works and Dominic Street footpath works.
City Mobility Team
A City Mobility Team (CMT) has also been established by Galway City Council to deal with ‘new patterns of travel’ and social distancing requirements as restrictions are eased.
The council expects the numbers of people accessing the city to increase and this must be addressed in the context of social distancing requirements which are likely to remain in place for some time.
The scope of the CMT will be to consider measures and supports required due to COVID-19, to support businesses and residents and to get the maximum use out of public road space and other public places.
The CMT will consider measures such as wider footpaths, safer cycling facilities, traffic restrictions and supporting businesses who may need the use of public space for social distancing purposes,.
Concerns, issues and suggestions in relation the use of public space in relation to COVID-19 issues can be referred to the City Mobility Team for discussion and consideration.
Galway City Council’s roadmap can be viewed here.
