Tidytowns Results

Overall Development Approach:

Your comprehensive submission detailing work on hand and your vision for the future is most praiseworthy. Your association with Tidy Towns extends to many other areas of commercial, social and environmental activities. This is commendable as you endeavour to improve the quality of life for locals and the many visitors. A development plan outlining proposed works brings great efficiency to your team-work and enables you to get optimum value from your endeavours.

The Built Environment:

It is to your credit that, after more than twenty years since you won the National Tidy Towns award, your appetite for excellence is as keen as ever. Despite the great deal of building and lake related developments of recent years, you have managed to protect the rural and lakeside ethos of the village. The weather has not been kind to Tidy Towns activity to date and your problems in this respect are acknowledged. It is some years since this adjudicator visited Mountshannon and the changes brought about by house building are significant. The policy of infill development, as manifest in building terraced houses on both principal approaches and filling open spaces with appropriate developments, is prudent and beneficial. For the most part houses are well-designed and executed and the use of stone is not overdone. Both churches were well presented and the school has improved in recent years with an attractive playing area adjacent. The negative aspects of old disused fuel pumps and chimney stack weed growth have not been addressed. Bearing in mind the high scoring of Mountshannon, attention to details now becomes critical in improving your marks. The entrance to the R.I.C. was below standard with high grass growth. The fencing at the Sailing Club on the road down by the pier needs attention. Also, the Mountshannon Village Cottages’ sign needs cleaning, together with the brown and white sign opposite the Village Inn. The Public Toilet was well presented, but the signage to this facility needs improvement.

Landscaping:

This is one of your strong points. You have a tremendous amount of flowers, shrubs, trees and grass areas to attend to. Happily your success here is well matched by some excellent individual effort, all combining to present a village with great colour and variety. You are getting great value from your shrubbery and the great effort with annuals is acknowledged. Overall you have raised your mark in this section and it was good to witness student activity on the approach road ruing a wet afternoon in July.

Wildlife and Natural Amenities:

The Woodpark Forest Park is included in the adjudication and nature will do its part if you continue to manage the park in an appropriate way. You should also lay emphasis on the lake and lakeside wildlife.

Litter Control:

You are commended for the absence of litter in and around the village. The odd paper wrapping was seen here and there, but in general the village was litter free.

Tidiness:

The year to date has encouraged a lot of weed growth and you have a few problems in this area. The base of the stone wall opposite the R.C. Church needs weed removal and the area around the hall needed to be sprayed. Developers have played their part and most houses were well finished by removing unwanted rubble. The tubs at the Bridge Restaurant, together with the picnic tables in the adjoining car park, needed attention. Some spraying and painting would improve this area next year.

Residential Areas:

The standard of new and old houses is high and some excel in their presentation. Curraghaboy estate is a sweet development complete with attractive artificial pond offering scope for wildlife promotion. The many mature trees add great character to existing house building and prevent an overstatement of bricks and mortar. The treatment of the community hall is good, as this was a weak spot many years ago.

Roads, Streets and Back Areas:

The Heritage Park has been justifiably praised and awarded with many accolades, including the National Heritage Award in 2000. This is a showpiece for environmental excellence. It is also an education facility of note (and free as well), so well done. You need to curtail your signage and don’t confuse necessary amenity and directional signage with advertising.

General Impression:

You have maintained your standard and added a little. You are a showpiece for the country and far beyond. With your reputation comes the expectation for continued success. Your strength is in your community endeavours and your ability to plan ahead. Your record as a former overall winner is happily being maintained. Paying attention to detail and solving the troubled areas previously mentioned will see further progress. Good luck for 2003.

Second Round Adjudication:

Increases in marks at the upper end of the competition are always hard to come by and the second adjudicator heartily endorses the substantial increase proposed by the first this year. Litter control at this very busy season remained excellent and weed growth, usually prevalent in a wet summer, was kept at bay. As well as such matters of practicality, credit is due to the Community council for its encouragement of suitable building development, for its sensitive enhancement of the natural environment and for the embracing of social issues which may not be absolutely germane in this competition, yet have a distinct bearing. A truly admirable community!

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