Councillors praise Mayo Abbey NS for ‘outstanding’ audit

Ger Flanagan

The findings of a Walkability Audit on the village of Mayo Abbey that was carried out by the teachers and students of Mayo Abbey National School and presented to a meeting of the Castlebar Municipal District has been praised by councillors.
The special presentation took place at the Mayo Abbey Training Centre last Thursday by a group of young students from the school and their work was praised as being ‘outstanding’.
Some of the findings that the students noted on their audit as being unsafe and subsequently provided recommendations to the councillors included: that a footpath be put in place outside the church to link it to the Cnor na nÍur estate; provide a safe crossing from the school across the road to the shop/graveyard; the erecting of a stop sign at the top of the school/GAA pitch road and to properly maintain the existing footpaths - along with many more.
Independent councillor Frank Durcan praised the young students and teachers involved in the audit and highlighted to the councillors that they ‘shouldn’t leave here without making some decision or putting in place some protocol’ to help.
Mayo Abbey native and Fine Gael councillor Cyril Burke wanted to ‘compliment all the people involved with the national school here in Mayo Abbey’  and spoke with intent to help put ‘the last part of the jigsaw in place’ to link the creche facilities with the school in terms of a safe footpath and lighting.
A Walkability Audit is a methodical examination of how pedestrian-friendly a route may or may not be and was carried out by students from first to sixth class as they work towards receiving their school’s fourth ‘Green Flag’.