Respond Housing Association celebrates 30th Anniversary with the official opening of Townspark housing estate in Longford

The Respond housing estate in Co Longford was officially opened on Friday September 7th 2012 by Councillor Peggy Nolan, Mayor of Longford Town Council as part of the charity’s 30th anniversary celebrations this year. The charity is marking this milestone with a variety of events across the country including community events, estate openings and two national conferences in Dublin and Cork. Over 100 residents gathered for the official opening of Townspark estate with a family fund day held to mark the celebrations.

Fair City’s ‘Dmaien Halpin’ (Maclean Burke) was also at the event to join in the celebrations with local residents. Townspark can provide accommodation for 73 family homes and 36 homes for the elderly. As they continue to build communities, Respond has worked with residents in Townspark to meet their needs. This has led to the development of a Men’s Shed project which provides a space for men to come together and meet. The community centre caters for all ages with weekly coffee mornings and plans for a Mother and Toddler group and Youth Club. Townspark, which was purchased with support from Longford County Council and funded by the Department of the Environment, Community and Local Government, is a positive outcome in a region where there are now over 70 ghost estates.

Fr. pat Cogan, CEO of Respond Housing Association, said: “Our 30th anniversary in 2012 is a major milestone for Respond Housing Association. We are excited to officially open Townspark, our first estate in Longford and we’re delighted to be able to celebrate our achievements with the people who matter most – our residents. This family fun day has really shown that our aim is to build communities, and the whole community has taken part and enjoyed the event. We’re looking forward to continuing to provide our service to the Longford community, and nationwide, for the next 30 years and more.”