Council agrees further 250 thousand euro for city arthouse cinema

October 13th, 7:16am October 13th, 7:16am

Galway Bay FM News Desk

Galway Bay fm newsroom – Galway City Council has agreed to provide a further 250 thousand euro towards the completion of the Solas Picture Palace cinema in the city.

At a meeting of the Council last night (12/10), councillors were told that Phase One of the project is complete and has made the building at Spanish Parade watertight.

However, Chief Executive of the Council, Brendan McGrath says further funds are needed to ensure the arthouse cinema is completed.

The City Council will now provide a further 135 thousand euro in cash along with a construction project manager to oversee the work.

The Council already donated the site for the cinema, worth around 1.9 million euro and agreed a further cash injection of 200 thousand euro two years ago through the Western Development Commission.

The project was described at the meeting by Councillor Terry O’ Flaherty as a ‘doomed’ project and by Councillor Billy Cameron as ‘cursed’.

Councillor Michael Crowe told the meeting that he couldn’t support giving more money to the cinema and said it was the worst managed project in his time on the Council.

Councillor Niall McNelis said that the Council had to provide further funds, especially when Galway is seeking the Capital of Culture title in 2020, to prove that it can deliver a built project.

He said that the end product will deliver for the city but an empty eye sore will deliver nothing.

There were 11 councillors in the Chamber for the vote, with 10 in favour of providing the extra funding and staff and only Councillor Crowe voting against.