Tramore is a town which has transformed its image in recent years and Tramore Development Trust is one of the groups instrumental in this rejuvenation.
The community led voluntary organisation was established in 2000 and is a company limited by guarantee with charitable status. The group consists of passionate and driven individuals who utilise their skills and expertise in various fields to work collaboratively for the overall good of the town and its population. The group’s mission statement outlines the Trust’s aim to “foster a vibrant heart within Tramore by encouraging social integration and by harnessing our resources, our people and our unique natural environment”.
Among key objectives are to bring functionality and sustainability to buildings which are no longer in use. Reflecting on the past 20 years of Tramore Development Trust, Chairperson Anne Harpur recalled the origins of the Trust.
“It was evident that the lifeblood of the town was being sucked out of the centre towards Waterford,” she explains. “That often happens with a satellite town which is very close to a city, it’s only natural. It’s not Waterford’s fault but it’s a dynamic which occurs and it presents a dilemma.”
At the time, even though Tramore had numerous community groups, there was no distinct group which was specifically focused on the core of the town and its future needs.
Born and raised in Tramore, Anne has always been passionate about the area. After moving back from Dublin in 1999, she wanted to contribute to the betterment of the town. Along with fellow architect Dave Smith and artist John O’Connor they decided to take matters into their own hands and formed ArcArt which aimed to examine the town’s potential, focusing specifically on the town centre.
The founding board of Tramore Development Trust in May 2001 included Paul Jackman, Bridget Power, David Smyth, John Smiles, Anne Harpur, Joe Stokes, Sandra Thompson, Eamonn McSweeney and Brian Nolan.
“If we could get the heart of the town throbbing again, we felt it would create vibrancy around the entire town,” she explains. A public meeting was held in which slideshows were displayed showing the town as it currently looked and how it might appear in the future. Anne says there was a hugely positive reaction to this public meeting and it was from this initial event that the first Community Trust in Ireland emerged.
“We were very much aware that we didn’t have a mandate to go off and do what we thought was right,” says Anne. “We needed participation. We had a vision but we set up workshops in which we asked groups to participate and give their input.”
Some of our Projects
Based on Scottish community development examples, and with the assistance of a community development advisor from Scotland who was in Ireland at the time and offered to assist, Tramore Development Trust created an ambitious community plan. Every home in the town received a copy of this plan and the Trust invited feedback.
“It was essential that we got feedback from the people who live here because they know the area best,” says Anne. This community plan has served as the Trust’s Bible and members have repeatedly returned to it in order to ensure they remain on the right path. Another of the Trust’s initial tasks was to embark on an audit of the town’s building stock to identify vacant buildings.
“We matched what was needed against what was available,” explains Anne. “There was no point in building from scratch when we have fantastic buildings. We examined the needs of young people and older people; the community facilities which were missing; the environmental needs of the town; all of these strategic aims.”
Tramore Pride of Place
Reflecting on all that has been achieved throughout the past 20 years, Anne says there is a sense of satisfaction but adds that there is also an awareness of the need for further work. “We’re constantly thinking about what else can be done. There’s great potential,” she says.