Meath County Council held its first public engagement meeting with the THRIVE Town Team to discuss the new Navan Cultural Quarter: Community Hub and County Archive at the Ardboyne Hotel in Navan on the afternoon of Monday, January 20, 2025.

This transformative urban regeneration project in the heart of Navan will provide for the conservation, restoration and adaptive re-use of the former St Finian's Seminary Study Hall (formerly St. Patrick's Classical School).

This building is a nationally important Protected Structure, and this new project will see it used as a multi-purpose Community Hub and County Archive. It is also envisioned that it will create a new civic space with associated public realm enhancements and new urban pedestrian connections.

During Monday's meeting, Meath County Council planning committee and the project architect discussed the building's history and outlined the plans for the structure. This was followed by an open forum with attending members of the public.

Speaking after this Public Engagement meeting, the first of four planned meetings, Mayor of Navan Cllr. Eddie Fennessy said: "It is very exciting to kick-start this project in earnest with a very open discussion with the people of Navan. This new building holds great potential for community, civic, and creative involvement. I look forward to engaging further with the people of Navan on this topic in the coming year."

Navan Cultural Quarter: Community Hub and County Archive is co-funded by the Government of Ireland and the European Union through the ERDF Southern, Eastern & Midland Regional Programme 2021-2027.

The project's objective is to restore and reveal an existing Protected Structure and historic site to address vacancy and dereliction in Navan town centre.

It's envisioned the project will provide an exciting new public realm and green space, including an outdoor amphitheatre, and create new urban linkages between the medieval core of Navan and the Cultural Quarter, the new strategic town centre expansion area (including the proposed Navan Central Train Station), thus improving urban mobility and permeability.

It's also proposed that it will provide an archive repository in accordance with the best international standards, which will store and preserve the written documentation which reflects Meath's social, political, commercial, and cultural history.

The new building will also create a permanent, designated, inclusive archive space, available free of charge, which will lead to new opportunities for the people of Meath and beyond to connect with their history.

Further information is available at - www.meath.ie/navan-cultural-quarter-community-hub-county-archive