WEXFORD TIDY TOWNS RESULTS & REPORTS
THERE WAS joy for Wexford Tidy Town groups yesterday (Monday) as the results of this year’s competition were announced at a ceremoney in The Helix in Dublin.
All Wexford district based groups saw an increase in points and Wexford town retained their silver medal for the third year running, earning them a prize of €700. A bronze medal and an award of €400 were awarded to Rosslare and to Enniscorthy.
County Awards of €1,000, €800 and €500 respectively were awarded to Rosslare, Ballycanew and Blackwater while Rosslare Harbour received an Endeavour Award of €500 for recording a 4.4% improvement on their score from last year’s competition.
In the SuperValu Tidy Towns Community Heroes Awards, Mary Gethings from Ferns was the overall winner while Lili Masterson from Ballycanew was Highly Commended.
The awards were presented by Minister for Rural and Community Development, Minister Michael Ring, and Martin Kelleher, Managing Director of SuperValu.
With 2018 marking the 60th anniversary of the competition, a special funding allocation of €1.4 million was announced by the Minister to support the work of individual Tidy Town committees around the country.
He said: ‘I want to congratulate all of the other prize-winners announced today. The work of all those involved in the TidyTowns effort results in the attractive and welcoming towns and villages we see all over the country.
‘The voluntary work that people put in to their communities brings great pride, a great sense of achievement and great camaraderie to those communities. That is why this competition has flourished for 60 years.’
AFTER MONTHS of hard work by volunteers all around the county, Monday’s Tidy Town results shed light on the good work that has been done, and the good work yet to be done. A selection of awards made their way from The Helix to Wexford while, for others, the reports will offer a blueprint of work needed ahead of next year’s competition. The following are the reports for Wexford district areas.
BLACKWATER
2018 Mark - 319
(316 in 2017)
Category B
Community - Your Planning and Involvement:
Cuireann an moltoir seo failte roimh Blackwater (Abhann Dubh) chuig Comortas na mBailte Slachtnhara Super Valu 2018 agus chuig Ceiliuradh 60 Bliainan Chomortais.
Thank you for your excellent entry form which was both concise and provided support information for adjudication purposes. The set of maps were very well designed and made it easier for this adjudicator to traverse the village and identify the various projects included in your application.
The composition of your committee and sub structures is extremely well organised and one can see from the work undertaken under the headings of the competition that this approach works well. Well done on the events that you hold to raise funds and create an awareness of the importance of tidy towns to the village and its community.
Having over 43 supporters in the form of sponsors and practical providers of services speaks volumes for the effectiveness of your community. The efforts of the participants in the local CE Scheme should be praised as these people provide invaluable back up in terms of support work.
Communication methods are many and varied from the tried and trusted fundraising events and notices on the village information board to the varying forms of social media. Good to note that you have a strong youth involvement through your Junior Tidy Towns Committee.
Overall the standard in this category was very good and for the Junior TT Specific projects alone an additional mark has been awarded in this category.
At this juncture the adjudicator would like to point that last year you got a high number of additional marks on from the high level your were on the previous year. Given that you are one of the top 3 performers in the county at 316, the same level of increase will not be forthcoming this year as last year. Feel assured also that the adjudicator will be objective and fare and judge on merit in accordance with the Tidy Towns Competition guidelines.
Also bear in mind that it is not possible to mention all items that you have included in your entry form in a 3 page report covering 8 sections but again feel assured that all relevant projects and places of interest and relevance have been visited.
Well done on the number of years that you have been participating in the competition and this adjudicator will endeavour to find out the exact year and have that.
Streetscape and Public Places: All properties in the Village have been maintained to a high standard which reflects so well on their owners. The basics of good maintenance were seen to good effect all over, boundary walls, fences and gates were painted and clean and this type basic work creates a good impression of a place. Road surfaces were very good and footpaths were also in top condition although on one of the outskirt roads (I have mislaid my note that identifies which road) the footpath could be extended a little further.
Just a comment at this juncture as one enters from Ballymurn one of the roads was blocked off and cars had to divert via a boreen into the Village. Notice of this disruption was very minimal with no diversion route indicated. I’m sure that Wexford County Council received a number of complaints.
The following are a few observations that this adjudicator noted on the walkabout: Scoil Naomh Bride Naisuiunta, a large school for a village the size of Blackwater, was very well presented and credit to the caretakers and board of management for their efforts. The plaque erected by past pupils from a number of local schools was a nice touch. The parking spaces are still fading and maybe before next year’s competition could be touched up and it is noted that you have taken steps to have this done in the near future.
The new road markings that have been put in place this year were noted.
Kehoe’s General Merchants frontage was admired for retaining its original features and lettering. The Post Office and Campus Service Station were presented well and the forecourt was tidy. Etchinhams Pub is a very attractive premises in a central location but the adjudicator has taken on board your comments about the difficulties with its impending sale.
Well done to the local Garda who organised the painting of the local Garda Station and it looked very well on the day. Simple maintenance work such as a coat of paint can make such difference to a particular building or boundary wall.
Corrigan’s Pub and Forristal’s Blackwater Lodge Hotel and Whelan’s Bar were all very nicely presented with tidy front areas and customer seating options outside. The hotel seems to be still in the throes of refurbishment and doesn’t seem to be fully opened as of yet. The Old Avoca Warehouse now re-established as a business premises was noted during the walkabout. The Supermarket is a large establishment that has been re-vitalised and was quite busy on the evening in question. The street furniture at the bridge was nice and bright and situated at central location.
The adjudicator was most interested with the Ponoma memorial stone and the history attached to this ship which was wrecked off Ballyconiger Bay in 1859 with the loss of 389 lives but was surprised that more information on it was not contained in your entry form.
Overall the standard was very good with a lot of emphasis was put on ongoing maintenance which is the key to how a village looks to an outsider. Green Spaces and Landscaping:
Lovely bursts of colour were observed as one traversed the village and the various gardens identified on the maps supplied were visited each having its own appeal. You are wished well in your discussions with the new owner of Foxes Garden but I suppose if some mutual agreement can be reached it will be worth the effort. A beautiful enclosed stone bed of lavender was observed outside the recently re thatched cottage on the way up to the Church.
The beds on the river bridge wall were populated with colourful annuals such as marigolds, root begonias and campanula.
As was the case last year St Brigid’s Garden, which is managed by the Junior Tidy Towns Group, was in excellent condition with its varied mix of herbs and plants that aid pollination. Invasive species mentioned in this category will addressed in the next category.
Good to note that during the walkabout the ongoing Riverside Garden work was noted and it is hoped that your plans for this area will come to full fruition in the timescale you have allowed. The proposed Community Park project encompasses both this category and Nature Biodiversity and it would be major coup for the committee if it was the driving force behind this initiative.
Nature and Biodiversity in your Locality:
You have listed a number of projects under this category heading all of which are quite substantial and need all year round care. To have the volunteer support for this is quite commendable and in essence that is why Blackwater is a high achiever in the competition.
The general maintenance of the lawns and the collection of leaves for composting etc is in fact a contribution to both this sector and the previous where there is an obvious cross over. Last year’s report mentioned the problem of Japanese Knotweed and whilst it is not at epidemic proportions nationally it has caused problems around various parts of the country. Good to note that you have taken measures in conjunction with the Local Authority to have it controlled before it gets totally out of hand.
The adjudicator commends you on joining Operation Pollination and the All Ireland Pollination Plan. Pollination is not dictated to by any man made borders!
Being adjacent to the Coast you have a vested interest in ensuring that you are involved in any developments that would affect the environmental and the economic well being of your village. So well done on engaging with Wexford County Council in seeking visitor access improvements to the beach at Curracloe.
Good to note that the local Primary School has a green flag and hopefully this will be first of a few over the years ahead. The other areas of upkeep mentioned in your application under this section have been visited and some were commented upon under a previous category.
The provision of a Polytunnel for plant propagation is becoming popular with tidy towns committees around the country so well done on this initiative.
Can the findings of both the Bird and Bumble Bee Identification surveys be incorporated into an additional Information Board at the Millrace walk area?
Well done on the other proposals that you have mentioned under this section as they all contribute to the main objective of creating an awareness of the need to cherish and protect the different forms of biodiversity within the habitats of your area. Regular reference to websites such as www.biodiversityireland and consultations with ecologists will keep one updated on the subject. The work done this year means an increase of one additional mark.
Sustainability - Doing more with less:
The objective in this category has moved on to some extent from one of reduce reuse and recycle to one of promoting the concept of reducing the production of potential waste at source such as excessive packaging. “Doing more with less” is a very apt. Activities that describe how as a community you manage waste and promote efficient use of resources and promote awareness is the key to gaining marks in this category.
The practical benefits of good waste management and control of unnecessary production will be seen as a major contribution to a better environment and of course gaining marks for specific projects is central to this sector as well. The projects that you have listed in the entry form are very much in keeping with the ethos of the sector and are very practical and doable.
To get more out of this sector in terms of gaining marks and creating even a greater awareness of all things that contribute to a more sustainable environment consider looking at the following websites for idea generation: www.localprevention.ie, www.greenhomes.ie, and www. sustainableprocessing.ie.
Also something that this adjudicator became aware of during last year’s adjudication is the circular economy. It is a bit too long to explain the concept in detail in this report, but if you access the following www.dccae.gov.ie you will get a pretty good idea of what it’s all about. The idea of what is called a linear economy of “take, make and waste” is now being seen as not sustainable and alternatives need to be found. Tidiness and Litter Control: Congratulations on the work that you have done over the last year in trying to persuade people to be anti-litter and making it known that it helps the village in terms of appearance, tidiness and environment protection. Good to note that you have regular litter pick rotas and well done to whoever is in charge of the rota. Given that you’re a coast line community it’s noteworthy that you play a big part in the annual Beach Clean Week.
Also you have taken upon yourself as a committee to organise a dedicated Blackwater Clean Up day presumably with the support of Wexford County Council and the local CE Scheme. Well done to these workers whose efforts often go unheralded? This is not an easy job and demands commitment of the highest order. There is no doubt that the committee are monitoring these areas and clean ups occur on a regular basis.
General tidiness was very acceptable in an overall context and the credit is due to individual business owners and householders for ensuring properties were kept well. This shows how the majority of your residents have a pride of place mentality.
The adjudicator is aware that you have a summer transient population but owners of holiday homes are more than aware of the Tidy Town ethos of the village and adhere it to it. Obtrusive banners seen at roadsides seen at this time of year advertising festivals and country music stars etc were thankfully absent. The overall the standard was very good.
Residential Streets & Housing Areas:
The committee is correct in this adjudicator’s opinion not to distinguish between village houses and estates as the village is small and integrated. It isn’t as if these housing developments are sited on the extremities as in other larger villages and towns. Whilst there has been housing development of a substantial nature over the last 10/15 years Blackwater was saved the scourge of large ill planned developments that other similar sized villages were subjected to during the so called Boom period.
All the estates mentioned in your entry form were visited and were presented to a high standard. One or two name stones were a little concealed by planting arrangements. The cutting back of foliage at Hazelwood Estate was mentioned in last year’s report. Will this provision of service support to the residents be completed by the end of the year? The cost of maintaining green areas in housing developments by individual householders’ contribution is probably par for the course nowadays.
Other comments relative to village houses and communal areas have been made under Street Scapes and Public Places.
Quite an amount of additional work has been undertaken in this category by the committee and by the committee encouraging