County Longford selected as one of eight pilot sites for new European CANVAS Project

Project seeks to create new piece of street furniture for parade square in Connolly Barracks

Press Release: Friday 30 October 2026

County Longford has been selected as one of eight European urban centres to take part in a new European project to develop and build beautiful, inclusive, and sustainable street furniture solutions.  The Horizon Europe project CANVAS seeks to transform and reimagine public spaces,by designing areas that strengthen local identity, inclusivity, and resilience while addressing societal and environmental challenges

A new community-led initiative proposed for Longford will complement the THRIVE project by transforming the parade square at Connolly Barracks into a pilot site for inclusive public space design.

Staff of Longford County Council’s Town Centre First team attended the Kick-Off meeting in Vienna (Austria) at DOCK, an architectural highlight for knowledge transfer at the Danube canal between the 14th-16th October 2026.

Developed through engagement with local communities and a design competition, the project will deliver a unique piece of street furniture aimed at improving perceptions of safety and creating a more welcoming environment for everyone.

If successful, it’s hoped the design could be adapted and rolled out in other locations across Longford town and throughout the county.

Longford County Council Cathaoirleach Cllr Gerry Hagan said the project is a wonderful opportunity to develop something unique and special to Longford: 

"I am delighted that County Longford and Longford County Council will be a part of this innovative project, which gives communities a direct role in shaping the public spaces they use every day.  Connolly Barracks is an iconic site and this project will complement the work being undertaken as part of the THRIVE project to revitalise the historic heart of Longford town.”

Chief Executive of Longford County Council Samanatha Healy believes the project can make a lasting impact in County Longford

“This is a very exciting European pilot project for County Longford at Connolly Barracks and I’m confident it will serve as a testing ground for new ideas and innovation in design and the development of safe and inclusive social and community spaces.  This project has potential to bring lasting social, cultural and economic benefits to communities across the county and I look forward to seeing it develop in the coming years.”

Guided by New European Bauhaus principles, the project seeks to strengthen local identity, inclusivity, and resilience while addressing societal and environmental challenges. By enhancing 5 implementation themes (namely safety & comfort; art & cultural identity; environmental performance; inclusion; social interaction & multifunctionality) the project will foster interaction, a sense of belonging, well-being and respect for common spaces.

The eight pilot sites in diverse European cities include County Longford (Ireland)  – Ajdovščina (Slovenia), Izmir (Türkiye), Reșița (Romania), Reykjavík (Iceland), Upper Austria, Wolin and Wroclaw (Poland) – the project will prototype and demonstrate inclusive, sustainable solutions that improve comfort, safety and accessibility year-round, integrate nature-based shading and planting, circular materials and low-maintenance design rooted in local heritage, and offer modular, adaptive features that serve diverse users.

The CANVAS project started in September 2026 and will run for 4 years. The consortium connects 18 partners from 10 countries and is coordinated by the Austrian Institute of Technology (AIT). You can keep up with project progress on the project LinkedIn page and project website.

The CANVAS project has received funding from the European Union’s Horizon Europe research and innovation programme under grant agreement No. 101308703.