CYCLE LANES
As announced in October, and with support from the National Transport Authority up to €2 million is being invested in the City’s infrastructure as part of Cork City Council’s ‘Re-Imaging Cork City’ project.
The cycle lanes in Ballincollig were all resurfaced with a distinctive red. As well as that the installation of increased cycling protection in the form of Orca Wands was carried out at Colaiste Choilm on both sides of the road. In the past two days Orca Wands have also been installed on both sides of the road from the lights at the top of Carrigrohane Road to the Poulavone Roundabout.
REEL PEOPLE
Last Saturday afternoon some staff from the Reel Cinema carried out a deep clean of the Time Square area. Kerbs were cleaned as were the gaps between the paving bricks.
The hard work of the staff made quite a difference. This will certainly be appreciated by the owners of the shops and restaurant located here, when they reopen this week.
LAST SIGNS OF SUMMER
Six Volunteers spent some of Saturday afternoon removing the Planters from Eastgate. These Planters lasted longer than we thought they would as they had been damaged in a storm a couple of months ago. At the time we took the decision to leave them in place and in the hope that they would recover. They did, and continued to give a lovely display of colour up to and including most of November.
We removed them and using the trailer brought them to the Allotment. Some of the plants will be replanted and those that cannot be saved will be disposed of in Compost Bay 1.
HIT THE GROUND RUNNING
December 1 saw us move out of lockdown and into Level 3. Our CE Workers, John and Adrian and Volunteer Anthony were finally able to come back to work and they hit the ground running.
Their main focus was at the Allotment.
The Planters that were removed from Eastgate over the weekend were emptied into Compost Bay 1. They were then washed, tested for cracks/leaks, put aside for repairing (if leaking), repainted and put in storage for the coming year.
Over the past number of weeks, huge amounts of leaves were gathered, bagged and brought to the Allotment. These were cleared off the streets in Ballincollig and from Residential areas. All these were put into Compost Bay 1. As a result, the Bay is practically full and the contents will be left to rot away down to make some great compost.
There was quite a collection of bottles which needed to be sorted and taken to the bottle banks. This was done by our Volunteer Anthony.
The Geraniums were placed in the Tunnel for the winter as the weather outside would be too severe for them to survive.
John one of our CE Workers started edging around the benches this week.
LITTER PICK
Sunday morning twenty-five Volunteers and twenty-one Transition Year students, including our newest TY student Jack, gathered for the weekly Litter Pick.
Twenty-two of the Volunteers and four TY students collected litter around Ballincollig.
In total Ten bags of litter were collected.
During the week four bags of litter, one bag of glass and one bag of cans were collected by some Volunteers.
The remaining three Volunteers joined seventeen Transition Year students to gather the last of the leaves at Fr. Sexton Park on Sunday morning.
Low hanging branches were also cut back and collected.
Eight one ton bags (eighty large black bags) of leaves and two one ton bags of branches were collected.
Residents from Beech Road collected three bags of leaves.
Aylesbury Residents collected two bags of leaves.
SHOP SAFE SHOP LOCAL
Christmas shopping has finally begun. Non-essential shops, restaurants/pubs serving food, gyms, hairdressers and salons have reopened after a second lockdown that lasted six weeks. When making out your shopping list please keep in mind the many local businesses that need your support, some at this stage to survive. Your support will be greatly appreciated. Check for extended opening times over the Christmas period. Shop safe, shop local. Wear your mask and keep 2m apart.
RECIPES
Have you tried any of the recipes on our website yet? We really hope you enjoy making some of the goodies with your kids. Send us a photo of your masterpiece and we will gladly post it on the website. www.info@ballincolligtidytowns.ie