News today that Millstreet have again done well in the National tidy Towns Competition. We have improved our score by another 4 points from 287 to 291, and in the process won a National Bronze Medal for Category D (population of 2,500 to 5,000), come in second (and highly commended) in Cork North behind the village of Coolagown, and won the Category D section for North Cork.
On concluding the report, the adjudicator had this to say:
Millstreet is a vibrant, exciting town to visit and it has used its history and topography to excellent effect. Few towns have the advantage of such pleasant walks so readily to hand. Well done to all involved in this delightful presentation.
Well done and a big thank you to everyone involved the local Tidy Towns in any shape or form towards trying to make Millstreet a nicer place to live.
- Millstreet’s Adjudication Report for 2011 has been added below, [or the original document can be viewed on tidytowns.ie ]
- The full national result book can also be viewed on tidytowns.ie ( large 4Mb document )
—— Adjudication Report for Millstreet 2011 ——
| Maximum | |||
| Mark | Max | 2010 | 2011 |
| Overall Development Approach | 50 | 43 | 43 |
| The Built Environment | 50 | 36 | 37 |
| Landscaping | 50 | 40 | 40 |
| Wildlife and Natural Amenities | 50 | 29 | 30 |
| Litter Control | 50 | 34 | 35 |
| Waste Minimisation | 20 | 11 | 11 |
| Tidiness | 30 | 24 | 24 |
| Residential Areas | 40 | 30 | 31 |
| Roads, Streets and Back Areas | 50 | 32 | 32 |
| General Impression | 10 | 8 | 8 |
| 287 | 291 |
Overall Development Approach:
Millstreet is most welcome to the 2011 National TidyTowns Competition. Thank you for your completed entry form together with the very detailed and suitably annotated map, the details of the Clara Walk and the brochures concerning your Walking Festival. The series of ‘before’ and ‘after’ photographs are most interesting and underscore, better than any written script the extent of your endeavours and the progress achieved over the years. The final photographs are also telling, underscoring as they do, the intergenerational composition of your committee and volunteers. Compliments on the excellent planting on the approach road especially the Drishane Road where maturing trees and pleasant planting has divided it into a ‘working’ road and an agreeable form of a linier park. In addition we understand you had to replace as much as 58 colour pots and plants following the frost ravages of the recent winter. Even the entrance to the Industrial Estate has not been neglected as it featured very splendid planting both at the entrance and throughout. It is pleasant to note the survival of the Eurovision Flags Wall; perhaps it would be beneficial at this time to add a note explaining the significance of this for those with short memories. The base of the wall would benefit from repainting. We admired the fine new Fire Station. Are there any plans for the Old Fire Station? The proposed major housing site on the elevated location is not now being worked. Are here any proposals for providing a more appropriate, long term boundary? The Green Glens Arena was as always very well presented. We admired the entrance and grounds of the Community Hospital. Have you maintained the twinning ties with Pommerit-Le-Vicomte?
The Built Environment:
The Garda Station was admired with its 6 flower filled, stone pots in alternative colours; O’Keeffe’s Supermarket was very well presented, neat and orderly. We admired the County Council Offices on their elevated site with suitable planting to the foreground. The infill houses opposite continue a pleasant sense of enclosure. In the same area is located what may be the lone survivor of the original type of single story, small cottages – a type once numerous in the area. (Has a suitable record been secured of this premise?). We admired the delightful street names with their quartered crest, useful and colourful. McCarthy’s Bar, closing the view in the Square was well presented as was the Wallace Arms. The large scale Coleman’s Garage was well presented. The sizable Catholic Church is a most attractive feature and its extensive grounds were very well presented. The school adjoining also looked excellent and we also admired the colourful mural. The imposing entrance to Drishane Castle would benefit from repainting before next year’s competition as would the head board of Michael O’Sullivan, Electrician. Reen’s Pharmacy looked well while the Parish Credit Union was a very imposing and centrally located building. The Bank of Ireland opposite was well presented. The Community School near the Arena was neat and orderly. We admired the suitable located sheltered houses.
Landscaping:
St. Mary’s Cemetery was neat and orderly as was Drishane Cemetery which was well signposted. The Town Park is a delight and complements to all involved in its creation and maintenance. The Grotto at Liscahane was colourful and we admired the small garden in the triangle of the road on Liscahane established by the TidyTowns Committee themselves. The Finnow River Bridge was very pleasantly presented with purpose built flower basket stanchions. This is a pleasant entry point to the town. Hegarty Street featured very pleasant well painted coloured houses and a suitably presented St. Anne’s Church Grounds. The little Pitch and Put Club looked well and we admired the floral display and small fountain opposite the Church.
Wildlife and Natural Amenities:
The wildlife area was a quick and appropriate response to this empty and arid area. It is now colourful and turned a potential negative into a strong positive. The wildlife area at the Finnow River is excellent while further out the treatment of the Tubrid Well was a joy. The Clara Loop Walk was very well signposted but do wash the signs. The Glen Walk is also appealing. The picnic area on the approach road from Mallow was very well set out and we applaud the information panel provided on the flora and fauna of the area. Excellent planters made for a fine splash of colour in this area.
Litter Control:
The most impressive list of litter awards secured over the last five years is a ringing endorsement of your successes under this heading. Clearly competition is increasing as you have not listed any awards since 2008. Litter bins were noted in Hegarty Street, the Main Square and elsewhere. Litter amounts were nominal and no black spots were observed on the day of adjudication.
Waste Minimisation:
This category is designed to reduce our dependence on fossil fuel and also drawn attention to our purchasing habits which can often include a significant amount of food which will not subsequently be consumed. We note with approval the Cycle Track signs and the Clothing Bank at the Co-operative. The Recycling Units were well organised, neat and tidy. Well done on the Gardening for Beginners Evening, the popularity of this underscores the demand for it as people utilise their gardens or allotments, saving money and providing healthy satisfaction also.
Tidiness:
Hegarty Road was a model of how a well swept, neat and orderly road should be presented. The excellent screening opposite Motor Factory’s Ltd. was equally an object lesson in how to ameliorate the effects of undeveloped sites. The Killarney Road too was very well swept, neat and orderly. Has the Soccer Club abandoned its present grounds as the grass there has clearly not been cut for some considerable time? There is a broken advertising sign on Corkery’s Public House at the corner of Station Road which should be removed. Some weeds outside the curbs were noted, notable at Fairfield Raise. The abandoned house is a long term difficulty but do please urge the owners to maintain it appropriately in the meantime.
Residential Areas:
The brightly painted houses on Church Street and nearby Hegarty Street were a delight. Mallow Road featured many excellent private houses adorned with well tended gardens. Tanyard Wood featured a very pleasant stone name plate and delightful black and white signs internally. The communal grassed areas and individual gardens were very well presented. However attention is directed to weeds outside the curbs here. Murphy’s Terrace featured very pleasant trees to the foreground. There is a gap between the road surface and the pavement which inevitable needs attention if extensive weed growth is to be avoided here. Discuss this with the area engineer. Woodland Drive was very well presented while we admired the elevated terrace of single story houses on Drishane Road; the railing at the top of the four steps here would benefit from painting before next year’s competition. The charming existing design of the terrace has not been respected by the house tacked on at the town end.
Roads, Streets and Back Areas:
The splendid presentation of all your approach roads is a strong plus in Millstreet. On the Mallow Road the firs growing through the hedge add a delightful additional element. In general main streets were all well swept with only minor examples of weeds outside of curbs. The road surface however was below par at Drishane Road and also the Killarney Road. Road signs generally were well presented but in a few locations they were somewhat obscured by encroaching vegetation.
General Impression:
Millstreet is a vibrant, exciting town to visit and it has used its history and topography to excellent effect. Few towns have the advantage of such pleasant walks so readily to hand. Well done to all involved in this delightful presentation.
