National
Tidy TownsS
2006
Judges
Report for
Ballincollig
County Cork
Overall Development
Approach:
Ballincollig Tidy Town's
Committee at 12 strong and having weekly summertime meetings, shows a
commendable commitment to the cause of improving the appearance and ongoing
maintenance their town. It is a centre which has undergone tremendous change
over the last decade, and especially in the last few years since this
adjudicator last visited the town! The new shopping centre complex and
associated town centre development increases the physical area of the town
enormously! . You would appear to have a good level of contact with the local
business community, the Heritage Council and Cork County Council, which is all
to your credit. Your involvement with local schools and donations of trees and
bulbs is commendable. Perhaps you could consider involving them more directly in
your work in relation to the wildlife, waste management and litter categories
especially. The adjudicator was pleased to hear that you have a positive
attitude to the competition.
The Built
Environment:
The main streets of the
town looked well with attractive well maintained shop fronts for the most part.
Of note were Harrington's Pharmacy, the Post Office, Mary O'Connell's Bar,
Supervalu, and Casey's Lounge. The facade of Bank of Ireland should be painted
before next year's competition. We note the work you have undertaken in relation
to the regional park cleaning. Your work in regard to the promotion of
bi-lingual signage is commendable and certainly many shop fronts were evidently
fully involved in this on the day, 0'Crualaoi being of
note. The Community Centre looked extremely fresh. The nearby stone church and
grounds looked well and Scoil Eoin was well presented. Although its grounds were
well maintained with an attractive stone wall and red rose bushes, it was felt
that further landscaping at the playground area would improve its somewhat harsh
appearance. Colaiste Choilm was well presented. The boundary wall at
Ballincollig Motors was in need of attention - it was cracked and in bad
condition. There will be a major change to the town once the large new
development is complete. The AIB looked quite fresh, but the planting above the
signage fascia seemed very neglected. Fenton's Furnishings should attend to its
side signage before next year. The Garda Station looked quite charming in brick.
Treacy's is attractive, and Tudor Rose Florist's looked quite charming. The new
shopping centre was admired and is well finished.
Landscaping:
Tree planting in the regional
park is commendable, as this will benefit future generations. We note your plans
to extend your tree planting campaign to the housing estates. The planting
including roses on the Poulavone roundabout on the Cork end of the town was
noted and admired. The marvellous display of petunias above the curved stone
feature at the Cork entrance to the village was admired. The sycamore trees that
march down the Main Street give it an elegant air. Planting at the entrance to
rear areas is most effective. The street furniture of the new shopping centre is
of a high quality with stainless steel bollards, stainless steel sculpture and
bins and limestone furniture. Planting near the new estates of the Crescent and
Old Quarter was admired.
Wildlife and Natural
Amenities:
The commissioning of a wildlife
and habitat report on the regional park area and circulation of same to the
community is commendable and was read with interest. Some towns have
commissioned a wildlife management plan for their towns-this could be your next
project. Your participation in the Neighbourhood Scheme is laudable and we look
forward to your wildlife information boards.
Litter Control:
The standard in this category
of the competition was quite good on the day given the busy nature of the town.
Only a very light scattering was evident in places along the streets, however.
Your constant litter picks are obviously paying off! The distribution of
literature to the schools and visits by the litter warden is a good idea. The
appreciation of litter awareness cannot begin too early. Good luck with your
plans to tackle the cigarette butt problem-this is a scourge of many a town and
village since the smoking ban!
Waste Minimisation:
Your work with the Cork
Environmental Forum in this regard is to your credit. The encouragement of
recycling, composting and energy saving is what this section of the competition
is all about. The encouragement of waste management plans in schools and
businesses is also important, as is the monitoring of bring centre sites. We
look forward to visiting your new Civic Amenity site when built.
Tidiness:
Monitoring of fly posting
and weed control measures are laudable - as is your proposed graffiti removal
campaign. A Christmas decoration was still up in the vicinity of the Post
Office, which looked rather out of place on the day.
Residential Areas:
The organisation of estate
competitions is a good idea. We also applaud your work in relation to the
observation of new planning applications to ensure that existing hedgerows are
maintained. It is also important to ensure that they are finished to the highest
of standards, in terms of materials, as well as landscaping. The Daffodil Fields
estate was admired for its stone boundary wall incorporating railings. Manor
Hill also looked fine. The wonderful display of montbretia at Fr. Sexton Park
was admired.
Roads, Streets and
Back Areas:
The approach from Cork is an
attractive and well-maintained road for the most part. The verge adjacent to the
roundabout was quite weedy with ragwort. Your work with Cork County Council in
relation to the pedestrianisation of Chapel Lane and provision of footpaths and
cycle lanes is applauded. It is always important at this stage in a town's
development that these laneways and rear areas, which become such an important
part of the town and visited by all, are presented to the highest of standards.
The volume of traffic is very heavy going through the town, despite the bypass.
General Impression:
It was a pleasure to revisit
Ballincollig after a number of years. It has changed a great deal in recent
times but continues to make steady and continues to perform well.
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