Mayor Cllr Seamus Ryan launches the Civic Dollars project in Waterford alongside Civic Dollars Founder Stephen McPeake and members of the Waterford Sports Partnership team
Waterford City, Ireland, 8th October 2025
Civic Dollars is helping Waterford encourage healthier lifestyles, greater use of public spaces and stronger community connections.
Supporting a Healthier Waterford
Waterford City & County Council, in partnership with Waterford Sports Partnership, launched Civic Dollars in October 2025 as part of the Healthy Waterford programme and Active Cities Project.
The initiative introduces an innovative, inclusive approach to encouraging residents to spend more time outdoors, explore local parks and green spaces, and engage with their communities.
By rewarding time spent outdoors rather than steps or distance travelled, Civic Dollars enables people of different ages, abilities and fitness levels to participate.
Turning Time Outdoors into Community Value
Using the Civic Dollars app, residents can earn one Civic Dollar for every 30 minutes spent in designated outdoor Earn Zones across Waterford.
These digital community currency tokens can then be:
Redeemed for rewards and experiences provided by participating local businesses.
Donated to local charities, sports clubs and community organisations.
Used to participate in local incentive campaigns and community initiatives.
This creates a circular model in which spending time outdoors generates benefits for individuals, businesses and the wider community.
Supporting Local Government Health Priorities
The Waterford initiative aligns with the Healthy Ireland Framework and the Healthy Waterford strategy, supporting physical activity, mental wellbeing and social participation.
It also complements Waterford Sports Partnership's Active Cities objectives by encouraging greater use of existing parks, greenways and recreational facilities.
Civic Dollars provides an additional digital engagement and incentive layer to these established programmes, helping partners encourage participation while connecting residents with local organisations.
A Strong Endorsement from Waterford
At the official launch, Mayor of Waterford City and County, Cllr. Seamus Ryan, welcomed the initiative as a creative way to encourage outdoor participation while supporting local businesses and community groups.
Eoin Morrissey, Healthy Waterford Coordinator, highlighted the importance of making healthier choices accessible and rewarding for everyone.
"The introduction of Civic Dollars adds a really engaging and inclusive way for people to make small positive changes that benefit their health and the wider community." Eoin Morrissey — Healthy Waterford Coordinator
A Model for Other Communities
The Healthy Waterford programme demonstrates how a local authority can integrate digital community incentives into existing public health and recreation strategies.
By bringing together local government, sports partnerships, businesses and community organisations, Civic Dollars creates opportunities to encourage healthier behaviours while generating wider social and community value.
Could Civic Dollars support your local health or community engagement strategy?
Contact our team to explore how the platform can be deployed in your city, county or community.
Stephen McPeake CEO - Civic Dollars - stephen@civicdollars.com https://civicdollars.com