Independent Cllr Kieran McCarthy has welcomed the positive news that
Douglas Village is to receive its first parklet. The National Transport
Authority (NTA) provided Cork City Council stimulus funding to implement a
suite of initiatives to support mobility across the city. This included
the provision of 10 parklets to enhance greening of the city and to
improve the attractiveness of the city to pedestrians. Partners in
businesses and communities were sought to maintain and manage the
parklets.
Cllr McCarthy
noted: “A public call was issued to communities and businesses and as a
result the parklet initiative was significantly oversubscribed, which
highlights the enthusiasm of residents, businesses and communities to see
greening projects of this nature in the city. In line with the objectives
of the stimulus, prioritised areas in the city centre and villages / towns
throughout the Council’s administrative area were chosen.
“An assessment
of the suitability of areas was conducted to accommodate parklets, in
terms of health and safety and access to essential services. Ten parklet sites
with partners were chosen. All parklets must encourage a pollinator friendly
approach. The Douglas Village Parklet will be managed by Douglas Tidy Towns who
have an excellent track record in the roll out of community biodiversity
programmes”.
“Cork City
Council also engaged with Benchspace, a social enterprise, to deliver the
timber-clad parklets. The parklets, which occupy a traditional car space,
will be installed over the next number of weeks/months as they are available
from Benchspace”.
“The parklets are
installations in the midst of busy streets with the focus on important
issues such as the environment and biodiversity. They also offer people
an alternative place to sit down for a few minutes and to reflect on their day or
to meet friends”, concluded Cllr Kieran McCarthy.
Douglas Community Park, early November 2020 (picture: Cllr Kieran McCarthy) Douglas Community Park, early November 2020 (picture: Cllr Kieran McCarthy) Douglas Community Park, early November 2020 (picture: Cllr Kieran McCarthy) Douglas Community Park, early November 2020 (picture: Cllr Kieran McCarthy) Douglas Community Park, early November 2020 (picture: Cllr Kieran McCarthy) Douglas Community Park, early November 2020 (picture: Cllr Kieran McCarthy)
Independent Councillor Kieran McCarthy wishes to
remind the public on the public consultation, which remains open till 2
November for proposals by Cork City Council to continue restricting vehicular
access to The Marina. The proposal is to close the Marina to cars 24 hours per
day, 7 days per week, from its junction with the northern entrance of
Páirc Uí Chaoimh to its junction with Church Avenue.
Cllr McCarthy noted: “To open up public consultation on the pedestrianisation of The Marina is very welcome. Up to this year and for many years previously, the pedestrianisation process had been a goal of local councillors and many local residents, and in fairness to Roads officials and the Director of Operations they have responded to public calls”.
Cllr McCarthy continued: “During Covid-19 lockdowns, the
pedestrianisation of the road as a temporary measure was the life-saver for
many people who needed the outlet to walk and just take time-out during the 2km
and 5km restrictions. I have had much correspondence by locals and other
Corkonians calling for the continuance of the pedestrianisation beyond the
phase 1 temporary measures. Many have emphasised to me the importance of this historic
tree-lined avenue to public health and recreational use. However, I have also
received correspondence from those who wish to tweak some of the parts of the
pedestrianisation proposals. It is important that everyone gets their voice
heard on the future of the Marina”.
Submissions on the proposal may be
made via this online consultation portal, https://consult.corkcity.ie/. Alternatively, the documents will be made
available for inspection by appointment at Reception Desk, Cork City Council,
City Hall, Cork to Monday 2 November 2020 from 9am to 4.30pm. Please phone
021-4924000 in advance to arrange an appointment. Representations may be
also be made in writing to “Senior Executive Engineer, Traffic Operations, Room
339, City Hall, Cork”. The closing date for
receipt of submissions is on or before 5pm on Monday 2 November 2020.
Marina, Cork, October 2020 (picture: Cllr Kieran McCarthy)
1067a. Project page on the local history of the Vikings in Cork from Our Lady of the Lourdes NS student 2019/20 (picture: Cllr Kieran McCarthy).
Kieran’s Our City, Our Town Article,
Cork Independent, 24 September 2019
Launch of Discover Cork: Schools’ Heritage
Project 2020-21
Covid-19 has brought many challenges to every
part of society and never before has our locality being important for recreation
and for our peace of mind. In the past few months more focus than ever has been
put on places we know, appreciate and even on places we don’t know but now
depend on as we remain grounded in our neighbourhoods and corners of Cork City.
Against the backdrop of Covid-19, the Discover Cork: Schools’ Heritage Project 2020/21
(Cork City Edition) launches in its 19th year and is open to
schools in Cork City. Funded by Cork City Council. The Project is an initiative
of the Cork City Heritage Plan.
The project is aimed at both primary and post
primary level. Project books may be
submitted on any aspect of Cork’s rich past. The theme for this year’s project
is “Living Through History”, which is a nod to the historic pandemic we are
living through.
The Project is open to
schools in Cork City at primary level to the pupils of fourth, fifth and sixth
class and at post-primary from first to sixth years. There are two sub
categories within the post primary section, Junior Certificate and Leaving
Certificate. The project is free to enter. A student may enter as an individual
or as part of a group or a part of a class entry.
Co-ordinated
by myself, one of the key aims of the Project is to encourage students to
explore, investigate and debate their local heritage (built, archaeological,
cultural and natural) in a constructive, active and fun way. Projects on any
aspect of Cork’s rich heritage can be submitted to an adjudication panel.
Prizes are awarded for best projects and certificates are given to each
participant. A cross-section of projects submitted from the last school season
can be gleamed from links on my website, www.corkheritage.ie where there are
other resources, former titles and winners and entry information as well.
Students
produce a project on their local area using primary and secondary sources. Each
participating student within their class receives a free workshop in October 2020.
The workshop comprises a guide to how to put a project together. Project
material must be gathered in an A4/ A3 size Project book. The project may be as
large as the student wishes but minimum 20 pages (text + pictures + sketches).
Projects must also meet five elements. Projects must be colourful, creative,
have personal opinion, imagination and gain publicity before submission. These
elements form the basis of a student friendly narrative analysis approach where
the student explores their project topic in an interactive and task-oriented
way. In particular, students are encouraged (whilst respecting social distancing)
to attain material through visiting local libraries, engaging with fieldwork,
making models, photographing, cartoon creating, and making short snippet films
of their area. Re-enacting can also be a feature of several projects.
For over eighteen years, the project
has evolved in exploring how students pursue local history and how to make it
relevant in society. The project attempts to provide the student with a
hands-on and interactive activity that is all about learning not only about
heritage in your local area (in all its forms) but also about the process of
learning by participating students. The project is about thinking about,
understanding, appreciating and making relevant in today’s society the role of
our heritage, our landmarks, our oral histories, our environment in our modern
world for upcoming citizens. So, the project is about splicing together
activity on issues of local history and heritage such as thinking, exploring,
observing, discovering, researching, uncovering, revealing, interpreting and
resolving.
The
importance of doing a project in local history is reflected in the educational
aims of the history curricula of primary and post-primary schools. Local
heritage is a tool, which helps the student to become familiar with their local
environment and to learn the value of it in their lives. Learning to appreciate
the elements of a locality, can also give students a sense of place in their
locality or a sense of identity. Hence the Project can also become a youth
forum for students to do research and offer their opinions on important
decisions being made on their heritage in their locality and how they affect
the lives of people locally. I know a number of students who have been
involved in the project in schools over the years who have took their interest
further and have gone on to become professional tour guides, and into other
related college work.
The project is
open to many directions of delivery. Students are encouraged to engage with
their topic in order to make sense of it, understand and work with it. Students
continue to experiment with the overall design and plan of their work. For
example, and in general, students who have entered before might engage with the
attaining of primary information through oral histories. The methodologies that
the students create provide interesting ways to approach the study of local
heritage. Students are asked to choose one of two extra methods (apart from a
booklet) to represent their work. The first option is making a model whilst the
second option is making a short film. It is great to see students using modern
up todate technology to present their findings. This works in broadening their
view of approaching their project.
This project in the City is free to enter and is
kindly funded by Cork City Council (viz the help of Niamh Twomey, Heritage Officer)
Prizes are also provided by the Old Cork Waterworks Experience, Lee Road,
Learnit Lego Education, and Sean Kelly of Lucky Meadows Equestrian Centre,
Watergrasshill (www.seankellyhorse.com). Overall, the Schools’ Heritage Project
for the last eighteen years has attempted to build a new concerned generation
of Cork people, pushing them forward, growing their self-development empowering
them to connect to their world and their local heritage. Spread the word please
with local schools. Details can be found on my website, www.corkheritage.ie.
Captions:
1067a. Project page on the local history of the Vikings in Cork from Our Lady of the Lourdes NS student 2019/20 (picture: Cllr Kieran McCarthy).
1067b. Gameboard on Cork historical landmarks created by Eglantine National School student 2019/20 (picture: Cllr Kieran McCarthy).
1067b. Gameboard on Cork historical landmarks created by Eglantine National School student 2019/20 (picture: Cllr Kieran McCarthy).
Covid-19 has brought many challenges to every part of society and never before has our locality being important for recreation and for our peace of mind. In the past few months more focus than ever has been put on places we know, appreciate and even on places we don’t know but now depend on as we remain grounded in our neighbourhoods and corners of Cork City.
Against the backdrop of Covid 19, the Discover Cork: Schools’ Heritage Project 2021 (Cork City Edition) launches in its 19th year and is open to schools in Cork City. Funded by Cork City Council. The Project is an initiative of the Cork City Heritage Plan.
The City Edition of the Discover Cork: Schools’ Heritage Project (est. 2002/03) is aimed at both primary and post primary level. Project books may be submitted on any aspect of Cork’s rich past.
Collapsed Monkey Puzzle Tree, Mahon, August 2020 (picture: Kieran McCarthy)
Over the past few days great progress has been made in relation to the monkey puzzle tree and how best to use it. Following a very productive meeting between O’Callaghan Properties, St. Michael’s Credit Union, Cllr. Kieran McCarthy and Dr Eoin Lettice of UCC, a plan has been developed to distribute the felled iconic monkey puzzle tree back to the community where it was here for approximately 161 years.
It is a beautiful wood and we’ve worked together to make sure it’s used in a variety of forms to commemorate this iconic tree. Crafts people and artists in the area and from Cork City have been contacted about using the wood to create artistic pieces.
A number of local businesses have also expressed an interest in wanting to use the wood to create a featured piece to be displayed within the communities of Blackrock and Mahon. St. Michael’s Credit Union has engaged with a number of local sports clubs and organisations to see if they would like to acquire a piece of this historic tree. A section of the tree will also be provided to University College Cork for educational purposes.
Collectively the decision has been made to also offer blocks sized approximately 30 cm x 23 cm from the tree to members of the public for them to use and remember this iconic tree. This is an initiative that gives the tree back to those from within the Blackrock and Mahon areas who had enjoyed the tree for generations.
Due to limited availability and COVID 19 restrictions we ask people who are interested in securing a piece of this iconic tree to complete the follow short online registration of interest form on this website.
Independent Cllr Kieran McCarthy has welcomed that the Douglas Flood Relief Scheme is on track in its schedule to be finished this October. The works are being carried out in five separate areas – St Patrick’s Mills, Douglas Community Park, Ravensdale, Ballybrack Woods & Donnybrook Commercial Centre. A report this week from Cork City Council, who are working with the OPW, outlines that the works at St Patrick’s Mills are fully complete. The works and Ballybrack Woods are 99% complete apart from the installation of surface dressing to the maintenance access road. The works through the Community Park are progressing well with the construction of flood embankments, footpaths, gym equipment area and public realm works under way at present.
The works in the community park are currently programmed to be completed at the end of October 2020, but the project team are hoping that this works area can be progressed ahead of schedule. The works through Lower Ravensdale are underway with the installation of sheet piled walls and the installation of the new Church Road culvert, outside Douglas Community Park. Access to Westbrook Gardens will be maintained from Douglas West. Access to the Community Centre and Ravensdale is maintained from the East of Church Road. The associated closure of Church Road is scheduled to be lifted on the 03 July 2020, but may require an extension of time.
Cllr McCarthy noted that much of his correspondence from constituents are serious worries about the cutting down of trees around Church Road; “the programme of works places emphasis on the replacement of trees as well as improving the connectivity and pedestrian routeway from Ballybrack Woods across to Douglas Community Park. In the Community Park, the Contractor cut down less trees than was originally outlined in the public consultation process in the past two years. Trees will be replaced on a one-to-one basis. They will not be as mature as the originals but re-planting will be done with trees that have a 200-250mm girth trunk, which depending on the tree type would be three to five metres tall. The one-to-one replacement ratio in the area along Church Road may not be achieved as the area will have a large paving plaza across Church Road and the river has been widened, but there will be new trees re-planted there. I am watching progress carefully and getting updates from engineers. There is a project website for Douglas (including Togher Works) Flood Relief Scheme at www.floodinfo.ie/frs/en/douglas/home/, which has drawings and photograph montages on what the end product will look like”.
Douglas Road and Independent Cllr Kieran McCarthy invites all Cork young people to participate in the tenth year of McCarthy’s Make a Model Boat Project. This year because of the Coronvirus all interested participants must make a model boat at home from recycled materials and submit a picture or a video of it to the competition organisers at kidsmodelboat2020@gmail.com. The event is being run in association with Meitheal Mara and the Cork Harbour Festival Team who have cancelled nearly all of their festival this year bar their collaboration with Kieran on the Make a Model Boat Project. There are three categories, two for primary and one for secondary students. The theme is ‘At Home by the Lee’, which is open to interpretation. The model must be creative though and must be able to float. There are prizes for best models and the event is free to enter. For further information, please see the events section at www.corkharbourfestival.com. The closing date for participants is 30 April 2020.
Cllr McCarthy, who is heading up the event, noted “I am encouraging creation, innovation and imagination amongst our young people, which are important traits for all of us to develop. I am going to miss this year seeing the models float at The Lough. The Make a Model Boat Project is part of a suite of community projects I have organised and personally invested in over the years– the others include the Discover Cork: Schools’ Heritage Project with Cork City Council, the Community local history walks, local history publications, McCarthy’s Community Talent Competition and Cork City Musical Society. Many of the latter projects were have gone digital or soon will go digital for this year. I look forward to the digital challenge”.
