Heritage assets part of Kilcullen tourism potential

A record of Kilcullen's heritage assets should be compiled as a first step in preserving and enhancing the town's historic character, according to the recently published Kilcullen Design Statement, writes Brian Byrne.

An appreciation of such character was one of the elements unearthed during the process of developing the report, commissioned from The Paul Hogarth Company by Kilcullen Community Action. 

Following a series of public consultation initiatives, the report authors divided what is hoped to be a blueprint towards Kilcullen's future into four objectives, relating to Place, Future, Linkage and People. The heritage assets come under the first objective, and should include non-protected structures as well as components of public spaces — defined officially as the 'public realm'.

The Main Street should be designated an Architectural Conservation Area, the consultants say, so as to facilitate conservation and restoration with the help of appropriate architectural guidance.

Another key aspect of Place are the stories relating to historic buildings and spaces, and the report suggests that these stories be curated and developed with a view to providing a 'trail' with signage and related artworks.

This could be part of a strategy to develop a Kilcullen 'brand' to promote and build tourism. The consultants also suggest a pilot programme to provide visitor information on a seasonal basis, using both in-person and online guidance.

However, for any meaningful tourism promotion, existing heritage assets must be preserved and improved where necessary, and vacant spaces and buildings need to be revitalised.

Against all that background, there's a need for those interested in Kilcullen's future to define the town's identity and unique attraction, and then articulate and communicate this to potential visitors.

The full Kilcullen Design Statement is available to download here.

The Diary will continue to post other stories over coming weeks based on the report.

Photographs use Policy — Privacy Policy