Minister Michael Ring opens E-hive co-working space and Town Square Public Realm renewal in Edenderry

Minister Michael Ring is today officially opening E-hive co-working hub in Edenderry, having been made possible by Town and Village Renewal Scheme funding from the Department of Rural and Community Development. This state of the art digital co-working space is located in the iconic Edenderry Town Hall, built as a Market House in 1826, and until 2013 had housed Edenderry Courthouse. It’s high quality contemporary design in a historic space matches the best co-working facilities in San Francisco. This Town Hall sits in a town square which benefited from a public renewal project also funded through the Town & Village Renewal Scheme, creating a civic space that has enabled the rebirth recently of the Edenderry Festival.

Offaly Co. Co. had identified the need for a co-working space for Edenderry, a rapidly growing town only 35 minute from the M50, with a large commuting population. The philosophy was to provide a high quality space, enhancing modern supports to enterprise in Edenderry the potential to foster innovation. This unique approach sees a 27 inch monitors at each desk, meeting room facilities, spacious common areas, hi-speed internet access, private booths for calls, a shared kitchen and bicycle racks.

E-hive aims to offer individual the opportunity to work from a professional office with flexible options, and so far has been embraced by user such as a software start-up founder, an engineer designing facades, a golf holidays company owner and an auditor from a big four accountancy firm, to mention a few.

In a recent commuter survey carried out in Edenderry, it was found that while 53% of commuters are “unhappy” or “very unhappy” with having to commute, 42% of commuters have the potential to work at least one day per week from Edenderry. This survey was carried out as part of the Edenderry Masterplan, currently being funded by the Department of Rural and Community Development, which aims to regenerate the core of the town. Initial funding from of €522k was also recently allocated through the Rural Regeneration and Development fund to commence the regeneration through provision of an infrastructure link to open up the core and back-lands. This regeneration project is anticipated to be transformational for Edenderry, taking in the former Tesco site in the town centre, former grain store site and park-lands.

E-hive co-working hub has hit the ground running with demand from day one, illustrating the abundant potential benefits from targeted rural funding, allied with a forward looking local authority like Offaly Co. Co.