|
Centre: Knockraha County: Cork (North) Category: A |
Ref: 791 Mark: 235 Date: 24/06/2009 |
|
|
Maximum Mark |
Marks Awarded 2009 |
|
Overall Development
Approach |
50 |
34 |
|
The Built Environment |
50 |
32 |
|
Landscaping |
50 |
26 |
|
Wildlife and Natural
Amenities |
50 |
22 |
|
Litter Control |
50 |
30 |
|
Waste Minimisation |
20 |
7 |
|
Tidiness |
30 |
20 |
|
Residential Areas |
40 |
30 |
|
Roads, Streets and Back
Areas |
50 |
27 |
|
General Impression |
10 |
7 |
TOTAL MARK
|
400 |
235 |
Overall Development Approach:
Thank you for this filled up entry form and the excellent map of the
area. I read your 5 year plan and you have
some ambitious schemes in mind to maintain and indeed improve your
village. I note you have a core group of
12 and up to 6 extra helpers for specific tasks. You have good local
commitment when people give up some of
their spare time to attend all those meetings. I see there are no
businesses in the area and you get very little
sponsorship, but you do your own fundraising. You are getting the
message across to the community very
well. It is worth while to keep in touch with the schools and you could
continue your support to them on the
green flag. We are pleased to find that the competition has raised
awareness on the well being of the area. All
of this means you have a good overall development approach.
The
Built Environment:
The school is well presented, bright and crisp, with good flower beds.
The community centre was bright and
cheerful with nice hanging baskets. The old school house, now a
childcare facility, is beautifully decorated –
wonderful. St Mary’s church nestles peacefully at the cross roads and it
had a bright and fresh appearance.
Willow Haven and O’Douoghue’s bar were freshly painted in attractive
colours. I admired the old forge and
maybe the ivy could be removed as it will eventually destabilise the
building.
Landscaping:
The
village was festooned with tubs and baskets of flowers and the layout of this
village does not really
require
elaborate landscaping as it has its own particular charm. The church is very
well landscaped as is the
landscaping
in the housing estates. There was good landscaping at the entrance to Holly
Woods. The stone
sign
posts for the village are excellent – well done.
Wildlife and Natural
Amenities:
I saw that the entrance to the forest and the Holy Well were renewed
with timber gates. This short amenity
walk is very interesting. You could enlist the assistance of some local
people that are interested in outdoor
pursuits to help you on the fauna and flora of the area.
Litter
Control:
The person that is dumping the papers on the way into the village is
most irresponsible. You can take action
by getting in contact with the environment section of Cork County
Council; they will take up the issue and if the
identity of this person is found big trouble lies ahead, and you will
not be identified in the process. Your
attention to litter is well noted.
Waste
Minimisation:
I understand that you do not have a recycling depot; you could contact
the County Council about the provision
of one. The big thing about waste is to assist the schools to go all out
for the green flag, this gives children
and their parents a better understanding of their local environment and
composting etc.
Tidiness:
It is positive to follow up the County Council and ESB about unsightly
cables. I did not see any graffiti. The
village was orderly and tidy. There is a huge difference where the
service cables are underground in the new
developments. I could see that the locals are following your examples on
tidiness by looking after their own
places well.
Residential
Areas:
This town has been expanded greatly with the new estates which are well
maintained with good landscaping.
The old town houses are beautiful with great displays of shrubs and
flowers, and some of these are quiet
spectacular.
Roads,
Streets and Back Areas:
I came to a T junction coming from Glanmire but there was no sign post
for your village and I therefore turned
left in error. This is dangerous and should be addressed. The road out
to holy well needs attention. I loved the
little old bridge. The signposts coming into the village are great
General
Impression:
You have gone to a lot of trouble making this presentation and we
appreciate this. Well done to all concerned.