Work is to start next month on a new watersports facility designed to attract tourists on a year-round basis to the seaside town of Ardmore, Co Waterford.
The innovation is part of an overall regeneration project for the area which also includes public infrastructure improvements to be developed over the coming years.
The water sports facility is backed to the tune of €1.3 million from Fáilte Ireland under its Platforms for Growth Scheme, and is aimed at providing "best-in-class" water activity facilities for the local community and visitors.
Work is due to start on the watersports facility next month, following the completion of the tender process, and it will allow activities such as kayaking, surfing, paddle boarding and sea swimming for all users.
Other projects to be undertaken in phase one of the regeneration plan for Ardmore include a new relief road; car parking area; public realm works; a new public footpath connecting the town to the GAA field; and refurbishment of the existing Sandcastle Building which takes in public toilets and the lifeguard station.
Ardmore was identified by Waterford City and County Council as a priority town for investment because of property vacancy, dereliction and population decline and a total of €3.27 million has been approved through the Department of Rural and Community Development's Rural Regeneration and Development Fund.
Tendering work for the work on the Sandcastle Building will be done in the next few weeks, with work on-site expected to be done by June, while detailed design of the relief road and public realm works is also due to start shortly.
"The aim of the proposal is to create an extension of the village core, along the proposed relief road, in which people will live, connect, and engage with their physical environment," Waterford City and County Council said in relation to the overall Town Centre First Plan.
