Methodist Church in Athy still open depsite arts centre closure
Athy Methodist Church, with the arts centre sign which is now no longer in place
THE former Methodist Church in Athy is still very much in use despite the end of the Athy Arts Centre which was once based there.
While Kildare County Council and the Methodist Church could not reach agreement on a new lease for the arts centre, there is still crafting, kick-boxing even a kids club at the church on Woodstock Street.
The church wished to highlight this after an column on 27 February which carried the editor's headline 'Sad end to Athy Arts Centre'.
Columist Fran Taaffe had written about the arts centre. 'It was operated for fifteen years or so by volunteers, headed up at different times by David Day and Brid Brophy.
'It was a successful venture, but sadly the Methodist community have not continued the arrangement.'
“We couldn’t come to an agreement on rental for the use,” said Methodist moderator John Chadwick in response.
“We were upset with the upkeep, so we took back control of the building about 18 months ago, and did massive structural repairs that had to be done in a hurry, things like missing slates and repairing the chimney, which had greenery growing out of it.
“We had to spend over €12,000 on essential repairs on the 153-year-old building that were absolutely vital,” he explained, before going on to say how much business-as-normal was still ongoing.
“Since they’ve (the arts centre) gone it’s still being used the very same as it was – concerts, kick-boxing three nights a week, Willow Weavers on Thursdays, the kids group on Saturday afternoons, and our regular Sunday service at 11.45 still continues.
“We also have another church use it, either with our service, or before or after it.
“We don’t leave too many days off, and we’re still available for meetings and various arts sessions over the last few months, including a singer from Canada in January ... it is every bit as available just as much as it was.
“We’re also upgrading the building to include wheelchair accessible toilets and a ramp, as well as a host of other renovations."
Speaking to the , Mr Taaffe clarified the background to the arts centre closure.
“The system was that the council and the Methodist committee would give a renewable lease for five years at a time, and only when the council took the lease could the arts committee run it,” he explained.
“It ran for maybe 15 years, but three or four years ago the council didn’t sign the lease as it wanted a survey on the building because the leaseholder had responsibility for it upkeep.
The survey was supposedly carried out by the council but Mr Taaffe said "we never heard what the survey said, and they told us nothing about it".
“We (arts committee) were hanging on for two years with no lease. The church committee got fed up."
Mr Taaffe noted the sign had been removed from the church in the column.
“When the sign came down we had no role left, and we were the innocent party between two groups. It was not our fault.
“When you’re caught between two stools like that, you realise how much of a minnow you are. There was nothing we can do.
“It must be acknowledged the main culprit is the council for not renewing the lease that left us in the lurch.
“But why did they take the sign down? That should be answered,” concluded Mr Taaffe.
This was simply answered Mr Chadwick.
“It is because they were no longer in control, or on the lease of the building,” he said.
Kildare County Council were contacted for comment but had not replied at the time of going to press.
