A Breath of Fresh Air blowing in from The Fen
"It was like years ago in Newpark Close, when everyone knew everyone else and community was the most important thing around here", "It's like the good old days" ...... Comments like these abounded in and around the Newpark Close estate in Kilkenny City on Friday and Saturday of last week, when residents were out with their brushes, their spades, their bags and their gloves, taking part in a huge clean up on the estate. Unwanted bulky items were disposed of on Friday morning from dwellings on the estate and an organised Clean Up took place on Saturday morning at the instigation of the recently formed residents committee, supported by Kilkenny County Council.
This committee, made up of twelve residents from the estate, came together recently because of their concerns around community safety and with a desire to increase a Sense of Pride in the Newpark Close estate.
Over twenty adults and approximately forty children took part in the Clean Up, and this event is part of an overall work programme which the committee are drawing up for their estate with the local authority, also supported by staff from The Newpark Close Family Resource Centre. Funds will also be invested in the community under the RAPID Estate Enhancement Programme and the Local Authority Estate Management Budget.
Sleeves were rolled up and all ages were represented in the cleaning groups who tackled rockeries, hedges, littered areas around trees and worked in the hot May sunshine to improve the visual aspect of their community.
Special thanks must go to Patrick Clifford and Bob Cody, who operated the lawnmower and the hedge trimmer and coordinated the collection of bulky items on the Friday morning but also a vote of thanks to everyone who came out on Friday and Saturday to get involved in this community event.
Goody bags were distributed to all children who helped out on the day and adults involved were rewarded with finger food and tea in The Newpark Close Family Resource Centre, after the event.
As one committee member said, "This is only the start.... Watch this space".