WHAT WE’RE ABOUT
Love Castlebar are a passionate tribe of volunteers.
We implement a number of projects to enhance the social, economic and cultural landscape of our community.
Our mission is to create a town where people love to live.
Our assertion is that in doing so, we not only build a strong community, but attract and retain the talented men and women who will both become and create the sustainable economic drivers of our town.
THE BEGINNING
December 2012, Ireland was still reeling from the backlash of the global economic crisis. In addition, we were following Global trends of increased urbanisation, a consumer migration towards online retail and resulting from many macro factors, a rise in individualism.
All combined, the perfect storm for the decline of our small rural town (most small rural towns).
Aware that we couldn’t influence many of the macro-economic factors at play, we also recognised that the solutions to almost every problem exist somewhere. We began researching small town development and town centre renewal, drawing inspiration from citizen lead projects that had proven positive impacts in Ireland and further afield.
Love Castlebar was born at a kitchen table, with five friends in Rathbawn Drive. in January 2013.
THE CURRENT CONTEXT
THE RENAISSANCE
Castlebar Town is best described as a Multifunctional Centre
- Focused on the local and regional
- Anchor is business, public administration, education and leisure
- Offers a convenient mix of goods and services (linked trips).
Supporting a net surplus employment population of 5,000, a thriving county town is essential to the vitality of the region.
The existential threats to small rural towns of increasing urbanisation and retail migration still remain, but resilient and responsive towns can thrive. Life in Castlebar affords many real advantages & benefits.
Relatively low cost of living and excellent social, educational, sporting and leisure infrastructure all combined afford a disproportionately high quality of life. In today’s economy, an era of increasingly portable and remote employment, enabled by technology, it no longer follows that people follow jobs, jobs follow talent and therein lies great opportunity.
Love Castlebar will continue to learn, to test and to evolve, endeavouring to create a beautiful, vibrant town, a place where people want to live.
