Tidy Towns Competition 2009

Adjudication Report

         Centre:         Crossmolina

        County:         Mayo

      Category:         C

             Ref:         711

           Mark:         225

        Date(s):         09/06/09

                                                   Maximum            Mark  Mark                Awarded2009

OverallDevelopment Approach                               50                                   30

The BuiltEnvironment                                      50                                   24

Landscaping                                      50                                   30

Wildlife andNatural Amenities                                50                                   20

LitterControl                                     50                                   35

WasteMinimisation                                      20                                   10

Tidiness                                             30                                   16

ResidentialAreas                                40                                   21

Roads,Streets and Back Areas                                 50                                   31

GeneralImpression                                        10                                   8

TOTAL MARK                                  400                                225

Overall Development Approach:

Crossmolina Tidy Towns Association is welcomed to the2009 Competition. Many thanks for your

comprehensive and thorough submission, which made veryinteresting reading. You would appear to take an active part in all aspects ofthe local community and care a great deal about the town, and its future. Wewere pleased to hear of your close relationship with the Angling Association.Congratulations on your participation and success in the Pride of PlaceCompetition - well deserved! The area development plan has obviously been veryhelpful to you in your work. The work in relation to farm gate colours soundslike a good initiative. The inventory of historic buildings will be a mostinteresting document to read, as the town is obviously steeped in history. Goodluck with your application regarding a Heritage Trail and signage.Congratulations on your website, I’m sure it’s most useful for you to help getyour message across. We read with interest that you tackled the areas commentedupon in last year’s report, this is a good way to plan your work for the year.

The Built Environment:

The commercial premises of the town weregenerally well cared for on the day. The Catholic Church was very fresh, withfreshly painted statuary and well tended grounds. The adjacent National Schoolwas also in good condition and proudly sported its Green Flag on the day. Wenoted ongoing work to St Tiernan’s College and presume that its boundary wallwill be painted, when work is complete. The montbretia over-spilling must makea marvellous display when in full bloom. The GAA grounds looked extremely freshand the creeper clad walls give a cheerful greening to this area! Thetraditional stepped garage of Crossmolina Motors was greatly admired. Walshe’sis an attractive traditional shopfront with its original sash windows.Hickson’s is another attractive traditional front, which would benefit from afresh coat of paint. Leonard’s is another traditional front, and sported someattractive floral displays for sale. The Pharmacy on Chapel Street was veryfresh, as was the Dolphin. The Library looked well in its prominent location atthe top of the street, and the Post Office was quite fresh. Davis’ Brothers isan attractive vernacular building.

Landscaping:

The park area beyond the Catholic Church, comprisingof nature garden was well maintained on the day. The playground area on theCastlebar Road was being well used on the day and was fresh and well presented.The cruxifix had also been freshly painted and looked very bright on the day.The beautiful mature trees on the grassy verge on the Ballina Road lookedmarvellous. The magnificent planted gravel beds on grassy verges, with treesmaturing nicely in the vicinity of the GAA grounds, were particularly admired.The landscaped area on the Castlebar Road also looked very well. The gravelledbed just below the church on Chapel Road was greatly admired. The Easter Liliesin this location looked very elegant. The sculpture at the water’s edge wasadmired.

Wildlife and Natural Amenities:

You show great interest in this area of thecompetition and it was with interest that we learned of the two

endangered species that live in local waterways, thefreshwater pearl mussel and grey crayfish. The

Crossmolina Loop walks are marvellous asset to have soclose to the town with so much for the visitor and

local resident alike. We were pleased to hear that youavoid pesticides/herbicides in your work. We read with interest of yourclustering of planting to encourage habitats and your awareness of small scalehabitats. The talk in association with Mayo County Council and the WildlifeAssociation sounded most interesting. We wish you luck with your nesting boxes.

Litter Control:

The standard in this category of the competition wasexcellent, as expected. We were pleased to see the

award for winning the Mayo County Council LitterLeague proudly displayed on the Ballina Road. The active

litter group are obviously having great effect,picking litter daily during summer months. Good luck with your

purchase of a small sweeper.

Waste Minimisation:

The recycling area was well presented in its prominentlocation at the roadside. We were pleased to hear, it is one of the busiest inthe country. The mulching and composting of the results of your work are a goodidea. The recycling evening including fashion show sounded good fun, as well asinformative! The composting evening was another excellent initiative.

Tidiness:

The town generally looked neat and well cared for onthe day. A traditional shed at the Killala side of Church

Street could benefit from a fresh coat of paint, ascould a tin roof of an outbuilding further along this street. A

number of premises still sported Christmas lights,which looked somewhat unseasonal.

Residential Areas:

We were pleased to hear that local residents associationsattend your meetings and that three new

associations have formed this year. There is nosubstitute for the active participation of all concerned in order to achievethe best results. The housing estate at Abbeytown was admired and wellpresented. Street houses along Chapel Street were very fresh. Individual houseson the Ballina Road were fresh and sported some attractive gardens. The housesof Knockglas townland also looked well. Attractive montbretia was admired tothe garden of a house on the Ballina Road. A modern intervention to the streetnear Leonard’s is a very sensitive treatment of the streetscape. Churchview wasa well maintained estate. The Best Kept Housing Estate Competition is anothergood idea.

Roads, Streets and Back Areas:

The approach roads were quite good on the day,although the practice of advertising hoardings should be

discouraged as they can give a rather clutteredappearance. The Killala Road was well maintained, with a

large expanse of grassy verges at the Church of Ireland,it appeared quite overgrown, however, beyond the

nameplate sign. The gravel bed at the nameplate wasadmired. The monbretia in this location will be

spectacular, when it comes into full bloom. TheBallina Road was very well presented with well cut grass verges. The newhedging and groves of trees were admired. It was weedy further out this road,however. Tree planting on the Castlebar Road made a good impression. Thenameplate sign on the Chapel Road was in need of some attention.

General Impression:

It was a pleasure to visit Crossmolina after manyyears. It is a busy working town with much to offer, set

against the magnificent backdrop of the NephinMountain