KILLARNEY has been praised for its magnificent effort in keeping the town looking its best, despite the difficulties associated with the Covid-19 lockdown.
The judges in the first Irish Business Against Litter league (IBAL) have placed the town second in the the country in terms of being relatively litter free and for general tidiness and presentation.
It is the second year in a row that Killarney has finished second to Kilkenny and the town has been declared Cleaner than European Norms – the highest possible ranking.
The adjudicators of the competition, judged by An Taisce, have praised Killarney Municipal District Council, the town’s businesses and residents for maintaining the high standards of cleanliness in very difficult times.
All but two of the areas surveyed received A grades and the only two locations to be reduced to a B grade were in the vicinity of the Lidl car park, where there was a problem with fast-food litter, and a specific site on St Anne’s Road which they judges said, was “like an open field” with a noticeable litter problem.
WHAT THE JUDGES SAID
Killarney: 2nd out of 37 towns and cities surveyed Cleaner than European Norms.
Always a top-ranking town, things were no different this time around in Killarney. It is a great credit to the local authority, traders and residents that the high standards of cleanliness have been maintained in these trying times.
The bottle bank in the (Glebe) car park was exceptionally clean and freshly presented. Other top-ranking sites included Knockreer Playground and Deenagh Woodland Trail, High Street, Main Street and Dr Hans Liebherr Road.
The jarvey parking and surrounds is beautifully laid out. It was also excellent with regard to litter.
Bottle bank in car park opposite Killarney Towers Hotel (Glebe car park): Grade A.
This small facility was excellent. Not only was there a complete absence of litter at the bottle bank and in the area immediately surrounding it, the whole environment was very freshly presented.
Cork Road Approach: Grade A.
There were no litter issues of note along this route which was freshly presented and maintained.
High Street-Main Street: Grade A.
A very long stretch of street, incorporating both High Street and Main Street. They were very well presented with paving, sculpture, seating, bicycle parking, street bins, etc. in excellent order. There was a complete absence of litter throughout the area surveyed.
Jarvey parking and immediate environs: Grade A.
This is a lovely environment with all aspects in very good order and an absence of litter throughout. The surrounding building, paving, seating, signage, etc, were in very good order, with a dedicated area for horse fouling.
Killarney Train Station: Grade A.
The ‘olde’ style station building and area directly outside were in excellent order, with a virtual absence of litter. Station signage, bicycle parking and waiting room were freshly presented.
Knockreer Playground and Deenagh Woodland Trail: Grade A.
This is a wonderful expanse of parkland, just minutes from Killarney town centre. The playground equipment, PE facilities, signage, etc, were in excellent order and the area was enhanced by wooden sculptures of an owl, squirrel, otter and other animals. It is clearly a very much enjoyed and respected amenity, getting plenty of use at the time of the IBAL survey.
Lidl: Grade B.
The area immediately surrounding the main shop entrance was fine with regard to litter but there was a corner site – to the left of the car park entrance and up in the right corner – which had a notable litter presence. Much of it was food and fast-food related.
Dr Hans Liebherr Road (from Cleeny Roundabout to Ballydowney Roundabout): Grade A.
The attractive landscaping at either roundabout is a lovely feature along this route, creating a welcoming impression for any visitors. Road surface, markings (and) signage were in excellent condition and the cycle path, from one side and footpath to the other, was in very good order.
Miscellaneous site on St Anne’s Road: Grade B.
Somewhat of an anomaly along a residential road, this site is like an open field, which had some noticeable litter. Care needs to be taken to ensure that it doesn’t deteriorate to a seriously littered site.
Tralee-Killarney Link Road: Grade A.
The overall impression of the route between Tralee and Killarney was generally a good one with regard to litter.
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