Tidy Towns Competition 2016

Home , Ballynacargy, Mullingar, Rathowen

Adjudication Report

County: Westmeath Mark: 287

Category: B Date(s): 30/06/2016

Maximum Mark Mark Mark Awarded 2015 Awarded 2016

Community Involvement & Planning 60 37 38 Built Environment and Streetscape 50 40 42 Landscaping and Open Spaces 50 40 42 Wildlife, Habitats and Natural Amenities 50 33 34 Sustainable Waste and Resource Management 50 13 15 Tidiness and Litter Control 90 54 55 Residential Streets & Housing Areas 50 29 30 Approach Roads, Streets & Lanes 50 30 31 TOTAL MARK 450 276 287

Community Involvement & Planning / Rannpháirtíocht an Phobail & Pleanáil: Welcome Ballynacargy to 2016 tidy towns competition. It is heartening to read that your hard-working committee of 6 members enjoys the support of dedicated volunteers and that wider community members are always invited to your meetings. It is clear from your application that you have established good links with Westmeath County Council, the Department of Social Protection, the Community Employment Project and local businesses that include Mullingar Credit Union. This partnership approach to your projects is highly commended and we encourage you to also approach the County Leader Programme in order to ascertain whether they can provide you with funding, advice or other assistance for your projects. There was no mention in your application form of other voluntary groups and sports clubs in Ballynacargy and we wondered if the local GAA club (or any of its members) is involved in any of your projects? Please let us know in 2017. Your communication strategy is comprehensive with a good range of communication mediums being used. However, your committee should note that many tidy towns groups are now using digital means of communication such as e-mail, texting, social media and websites as a means of engaging with the wider community, connecting with young people and showcasing their work. We are pleased to read that the schools have been involved in your Spring Clean and other events and that there is good co-operation between you. We urge you to strengthen these links by engaging in some joint projects with the school. It is important to remember that the schools are an excellent source of good innovative ideas and enthusiastic young helpers. Collaborating with them will help you to spread your workload and foster a sense of ownership of local projects among younger people in Ballynacargy. We are delighted to read that you been involved in the tidy towns competition for 22 years and this is evident from the lovely appearance of your village. Thank you for your comprehensive application form, which included a map and various attachments such as the ‘lets get buzzing’ pollinator award, three-year plan and photos. This information was very helpful during adjudication.

Built Environment and Streetscape / An Timpeallacht Thógtha agus Sráid-dreacha: Ballynacargy has a number of features of interest and as this was first visit by the adjudicator, it proved to be an enjoyable experience. The Main Street of the village looked especially well on the day. The neat terraces of attractive two-storey buildings of traditional design looked very well as many appear to have been painted for the occasion. The Church, with its prominent position overlooking the Main Street, looked smart with its fresh coat of paint, while the Music Hall nearby also stood out. Commercial premises in the village were not found wanting and most had achieved a good standard of presentation with Connollys, Munnellys Pub, Murtaghs, the Post Office and Little Blessings Creche catching our eye. We also liked the traditional shopfronts of Penrose and the Public Library. The Street leading down to the harbour deserves particular mention has the majority of these dwellings looked particularly well. The school on the Rathowen approach also impressed. The harbour area is a wonderful asset for Ballynacargy. The combination of attractive natural stone historical buildings, intriguing structures such as the bridge and the canal locks and the wonderful tree-lined walks make this one of the most impressive areas in the county. The work that your committee has undertaken to derelict buildings – such as the one opposite the church and a second one adjacent to the harbour, is acknowledged and in the view of the adjudicator, this project has made a significant positive difference to the appearance of the village. Well done also on your many fine projects under this category for 2016 which included; constructing the new stone wall near tower view, completing the courthouse, placing the marble table and seat at the Harbour, providing a new walkway at Carrig More and for painting the Canal End restaurant. The provision of Beech and Whitethorn hedging on the Mullingar Road is considered under landscaping. The work that your committee has undertaken to derelict buildings – such as the one opposite the church and a second one adjacent to the harbour, is acknowledged and in the view of the adjudicator, this project has made a significant positive difference to the appearance of the village. Well done also on your many fine projects under this category for 2016 which included; constructing the new stone wall near tower view, completing the courthouse, placing the marble table and seat at the Harbour, providing a new walkway at Carrig More and for painting the Canal End restaurant. The provision of Beech and Whitethorn hedging on the Mullingar Road is considered under landscaping.

Landscaping and Open Spaces / Tírdhreachú agus Spásanna Oscailte: We enjoyed the many good quality landscaping schemes that could be seen in Ballynacargy on adjudication day. There are also some very pleasant, attractive and colourful hanging baskets lining the approach road to the harbour. Some very attractive landscaping beds were observed at the pedestrian entrance to the harbour. They are very good shape, with an excellent variety of perennials, annuals, evergreens and other flowering seasonal flowering plants. An attractive bed can also be seen either side of the natural stone bridge. The harbour itself is a wonderful amenity area that is a lovely resource for residents and visitors alike. Its appearance is first class with neatly trimmed grass, semimature mature trees, well maintained pathways and small bridges, decorative lighting and crossing points. This is a wonderful amenity and it is among the best the adjudicator has seen in the County of Westmeath. The new marble seats and table are a great addition as they provide a wonderful opportunity to enjoy this lovely area. The playground is also an impressive attraction and we commend the community on its maintenance. The green area, which is directly opposite the road leading to the harbour and which accommodates the information signs of the village and some lovely mature trees is most attractive but the green field gate here may need a fresh coat of paint in time for 2017. The colourful stone planters at the entrance to the Church also impressed. The committee is commended on the implementation of the pollinator area plan as well as the pruning of trees and cutting hedges outside nesting times. Well done also on maintaining the bridges, upgrading the GAA pitch and its entrance. Congratulations also on the opening of the new walkway \ cycleway from Ballynacargy to Mullingar. It is hoped that this facility will bring many visitors to your lovely village. We were pleased to read that you have planted Beech and Whitethorn hedging on the Mullingar road as this will make a very positive difference to the appearance of this approach and its contribution to biodioversity.

Wildlife, Habitats and Natural Amenities / Fiadhúlra, Gnáthóga agus Taitneamhachtaí Nádúrtha: Ballynacargy is fortunate to have a range of rich and diverse habitats on its doorstep. We are particularly pleased to read that there is an acknowledgement of this in the projects that you have completed under this category for the tidy towns competition. It is noted that your committee helps conservation by leaving some areas in their natural state and we wondered where these areas are located? It is also stated that bird and bat boxes have been used in your village for some years and we wondered if any surveys had taken place of their occupants? A survey is also a particularly useful way of monitoring whether local populations of birds or bats are increasing, decreasing or remaining unchanged from year-to-year. The abundance of wildlife and birdlife at the Royal Canal was witnessed during adjudication and we wondered if there are plans to undertake a survey here? Perhaps this is a project that the school could get involved in? We are pleased to read that you are planning to establish an area for bees and other pollinators near the playground and we look forward to seeing this project become established in the years ahead. However, it is strongly recommended that your committee should consider switching its emphasis to completing surveys of the existing wildlife areas in the village in order to ascertain what is happening with them before any further conservation areas are designated. Initiatives that help to raise environmental awareness such as the bird or a bat walk with the help of volunteers from Birdwatch Ireland or Bat Conservation Ireland should also be considered.

Sustainable Waste and Resource Management / Bainistiú Acmhainní agus Dramhaíola Inbhuanaithe: We applaud the committee on its up cycle and recycling initiatives as they are commendable approaches to minimising waste. We are also pleased to read that waste minimisation and sustainable resource use is a primary consideration when carrying out your tidy towns projects. This is evident by your approach to capture rainwater and using it to water plants and your ongoing commitment to making your own compost – thereby avoiding the use of shop bought fertiliser. We will also like to hear about how you source plants for your landscaping schemes. As a means of minimising waste and encouraging sustainable resource use, we urge you to grow your own plants, harvest seeds from your own planting schemes or to use donated plants from keen gardeners in Ballynacargy. All of these approaches will help to minimise waste and enable you to lead by example to other members of your community. Well done on promoting workshops on minimising waste and sustainable resource use that are organised by Westmeath County Council. We also encourage you to record attendance by local people at these events and consider carrying out a follow up survey questionnaire to ascertain if attending these events has led a change in the behaviour of the participants. Surveys can also be used as a way of identifying projects that would be most effective in minimising waste and promoting sustainable resource use in your village. These surveys are best organised with the assistance of the school – by asking the school children and their parents to complete the survey. More ideas for projects under this category can be found in the Tidy Towns Handbook.

Tidiness and Litter Control / Slachtmhaireacht agus Rialú Bruscair: The standard of tidiness in Ballymacargy was considered to be very good on adjudication day with the vast majority of areas inspected appearing litter free. This good performance is perhaps due to your continuous work sweeping, weeding, mowing, streaming and cleaning to keep the village tidy and litter free. Your approach is proving very effective as no accumulations of litter or blackspots could be seen. Given that your anti litter strategy is so effective, we wondered if other people (such as the schools) are involved in the litter patrols? We will also like to hear about what the committee is doing to promote the anti litter message. For example, do you organise talks in the local school or run art competitions that promote the anti litter message for local school children? Well done also on segregating your litter collected. The standard of tidiness is also very high. However, some improvements are possible. The pump on the R393 could do with a fresh coat of paint for next year while the directional road signage at the Gallery needs to be cleaned. Untidy signs and sign poles can also be seen on the Rathowen approach road. what the committee is doing to promote the anti litter message. For example, do you organise talks in the local school or run art competitions that promote the anti litter message for local school children? Well done also on segregating your litter collected. The standard of tidiness is also very high. However, some improvements are possible. The pump on the R393 could do with a fresh coat of paint for next year while the directional road signage at the Gallery needs to be cleaned. Untidy signs and sign poles can also be seen on the Rathowen approach road.

Residential Streets & Housing Areas / Sráideanna Cónaithe & Ceantair Tithíochta: It is noted from your application from that all streets, estates and green areas are maintained and that a number of buildings in the village have been given a facelift. This work could clearly be seen on adjudication day as the vast majority of buildings in the village looked very well on adjudicaton day. Well done and keep up the good work!

Approach Roads, Streets & Lanes / Bóithre Isteach, Sráideanna & Lánaí: The approach from Abbeyshrule is very impressive with its natural hedge boundaries and high quality natural stone walls which appear to be in very good shape. The Rathowen approach is also quite nice and we admired the lovely mature trees that line the approach here. The approach into the village from Mullingar is exceptionally good. The road surface is in excellent condition, while the footpaths and verges are very well maintained. The mature deciduous trees and very clear signage also enhance this approach.

Concluding Remarks: Well done Ballynacargy for a great performance in the competition this year. We were most impressed by your lovely village and we look forward to returning in 2017.