What won it for Westport

What won it for Westport


Neill O'Neill

EACH entrant to the National Tidy Towns Competition must submit a comprehensive report on how they embrace the tidy towns concept in their community, and are then paid an anonymous visit by an official adjudicator, who scores the town’s performance in ten different categories.
The judge then pays a second silent visit to the area during the summer months – again noting  performance in each of the predefined areas, to ensure that their overall impression is accurate and fair.
In the 2008 competition, Westport scored 303 marks out of a possible 400, beating Birdhill in Co Tipperary to the overall title of Ireland’s tidiest town, by just one point.
In the category ‘Overall Development Approach’, Westport scored 48 out of 50 marks, with the judge commenting; “one of the first things that became obvious to this adjudicator is that you have put major effort into all adjudication categories and not just those that may have more appeal to the community. There is an excellent atmosphere in Westport and at every corner in the street there is evidence of how you have made your area a better place for everyone.”
The involvement of local schools and establishing a Junior Tidy Towns Committee was also lauded, as was the partnership approach taken in Westport.
“Partnership has been the key to your success and the fact that you have over 100 volunteers available shows how deeply the Tidy Towns concept is rooted in the Westport community.” the judge said.
In the ‘Built Environment’ category the judge felt that ‘the planning authorities have had the courage to allow good modern design to sit side by side with older more traditional buildings,’ and praised the local practice of holding planning clinics as something that ‘should be followed by many more towns in Ireland.’
“The 3D Graphics tool used in planning is a visionary development and the adjudicator has looked at the Google 3D development for the town – this is fascinating.” the report states, before going on to call the new fire station on the Leenane Road a landmark building and saying ‘the Tesco building in white makes a good architectural statement.’ Praise is also heaped on the improvements in the area of disability access at Westport Leisure Park and the Post Office, and for the upkeep of the Garda Station.
Overall, the report on ‘Landscaping’ says that ‘the various planters on Bridge Street and on the Octagon looked really well as did all the landscaped areas in Westport.’ It also singles out the Schools Bulb Planting Programme as ‘unusual’ but adds; “this again is another great way of engaging youth in environmental matters.” Credit is also given to the gardening staff for the ‘lawn like sloping banks’ on the Castlebar Road.
“Your adjudicator nearly had a conversation with a tame heron on adjudication day! It is so wonderful that in the middle of a busy town that people can get so close to wildlife,” says the report in the ‘Wildlife and Natural Amenities Category,’ while in the ‘Waste Minimisation’ section, the judge urges for the input of Fás in regard to waste minimisation and recycling to continue, and states amazement at the level of waste from Westport that is recycled each week – 100 tonnes.
Other areas which were judged were the many housing estates in Westport, which were deemed to be kept to a high standard, while the adjudicator offered congratulations for all the good work done on approach roads to the town in recent years.
The report also commended the input of the Western Regional Fisheries Board, and their cooperation with Fás ‘on some water based projects such as the fountains’ in the Carrowbeg River. It also states that the under-grounding of cables on Castlebar Street has made ‘such a visual difference.’
There were some parts of Westport however, where the adjudicator recommended some changes. Particular areas that were pointed out were ‘a number of properties on Castlebar Street which are either waiting redevelopment or could be presented to a higher standard.’ It is also recommended that ‘the outsize advertisement hoardings on Castlebar Street should be removed altogether.’
The report also states that on the day of the second visit by the judge; “the pay and display car park near the Physio and Acupuncture Clinic (on Mill Street) featured a large overflowing skip together with a lot of overgrowth to its landscaped areas, this was probably the only serious problem of tidiness in the town.”
“Thank you for another excellent presentation, the adjudicator enjoyed the day and has thoughts of returning for a few days at least on holidays. Well done,” the report concludes.

Category                                             MAX    2008    2007    2006    2001*
Overall Development Approach                   50    48    48    48    50/47
The Built Environment                                 50    39    38    38    40/37
Landscaping                                                50    40    39    39    40/37
Wildlife and Natural Amenities                    50    30    28    28    30/24
Litter Control                                               50    39    39    38    40/29
Waste Minimisation                                     20    12    11    11    N/A
Tidiness                                                      30    19    19    19    20/18
Residential Areas                                       40    29    28    27    30/26
Roads, Streets and Back Areas                 50    38    38    38    40/36
General Impression                                   10    9    9    9    10/9
Total                                                        400    303    297    295    300/263