Dundalk Creative Spark Downtown Hub - More than just a work space

“Before this job I had been in financial services, quite a corporate role, all about the bottom line and your budgets. I didn't even know jobs like this existed.” Ciara Breen, manager of the Creative Spark Downtown Hub, a dedicated remote working facility in the centre of Dundalk has found her role is quite different to any role she has held before.

“This is about community, it's a not for profit, it's important to keep the place sustainable, but the fact that you can just come up with an idea that you can work on for the benefit of the community is huge, rather than what can we get out of this as a company.”

The Downtown Hub is Creative Spark's second location in Dundalk. “The original head office opened in 2012”, Ciara explains, “and the focus was on creative industries. So then the idea came, Sarah Daly, the Director, had seen more of a move pre-Covid to people looking for hot desking, so the idea of the second location, co-working with no criteria needing to be met, came about for opening in the town centre.”

The facilites in the hub caters well for remote working. “We've two floors, a small basement downstairs that has six to eight desks, with a podcasting studio, we have 42 desks in total.

“We've got the boardroom, it sits six to eight people, and the front lobby area is used for community events. We've three privacy booths available to members to pop in and out of throughout the day as well. Then we've got the screens for video conferencing and presentations.”

^{Above: The Creative Spark Downtown Hub}

Looking at the people who use the hub, Ciara explains that “we would have what I would call freelancers or consultants. Quite a few in the marketing or the digital design space come in, they would be more our hot deskers that might pop in more ad hoc. But the majority of our members who pay the monthly membership and have their dedicated desk - they're mainly remote workers.”

The hub is also used by workers in larger companies. “It's back to the sort of wellness and looking after their employees as well. If they're embracing a remote working culture, they have to realise that working from home may not be suitable for some people, but a two and a half hour commute is a lot on someone as well, so the hub can act as that middle ground.

“We're here two years now and it has taken time for people to kind of bed in. We've got a lot of our members that are with us over a year, they'll sit and have a coffee together. That's what you want and that's lovely to see.”

Above: Members of the Downtown Hub

Speaking to some of the members, it's clear to see it has helped with their work/life balance. One worker, Nisanth says, “I find I can focus better at the hub. And I like to keep my work space and my living space separate because if I don't, work bleeds into my down-time. It is also a great way to meet new people.”

Another member, Paula, says “it means I am not working from home, so my personal and work spaces are separate. I still get the great benefits of remote work while connecting with new people locally on a daily basis.”

Rochelle says that working in the hub “ gives me the option to separate my work and my life. It's nice to come into a space with other professionals and still get the social aspect which I definitely don't get when I'm working from home.”

Enrique comments that “It is just 25 minutes from Newry so it is really convenient for me. It is a nice atmosphere to work in.”

Another member, Kathryn Kioupeli, uses the hub twice a week. “There is a lovely community feel about the hub”, she comments. The staff and other users of the hub are all really friendly, allowing you the social element of office life, whilst having to commute less of a distance to work. I’d highly recommend it to anyone.”

The Downtown however, is more than just a work space. “We kind of have a range”, says Ciara. “We run a Grow Remote network, there's chapters all over the country. That's supporting people that are looking for remote working, or are currently working remotely. Or are hybrid, it doesn't have to be 100% at home five days a week, they may be going into the office once or twice a week.”

^{Above: Meeting area at the hub}

“Then the front lobby area, we've had a mental health talk which was run by Cllr Maeve Yore, with Rory's Stories, there was a massive turn out for that. The Energy Team in Dunleer, Dundalk Credit Union and Louth County Council held an information talk, so being in the town centre, you can open the doors in the evenings and its an easy location to get to.”