TWO previously littered “blackspots” in Limerick have cleaned up their act somewhat according to the latest survey from business group Irish Business Against Litter (IBAL).
The survey reveals both Galvone and Limerick City Centre have improved to ‘moderately littered’ and occupy 31st and 36th spots respectively in the ranking of 40 towns and cities nationwide.
However, the city lags behind other main urban centres in Ireland, according to IBAL.
The An Taisce report for Limerick City Centre noted “an improved result for Limerick, with no litter blackspots, but still a significant number of seriously littered sites”.
“There was evidence of what looked like a new anti-litter initiative: ‘Love your Limerick, Don’t Litter’ / ‘The only cure for Litter is… You’,” the report stated.
Top ranking spotless city centre sites included Henry Street, Thomas Street, O’Connell Street and People’s Park. IBAL cited that “it wasn’t just the lack of litter which sets these sites apart, but the overall presentation and maintenance of same, e.g. signage, tree planting, seating etc.”
“Sites which scored poorly in Limerick were frequently back-street / laneway environments and basements of various older properties: examples of these included a laneway at Cruises Street Car Park, a laneway at Parnell Street Service Area, and a laneway between No. 9A and 10 William Street.”
The An Taisce report for Galvone in Limerick City South stated that “the number of top ranking sites in Galvone is much higher than a number of years ago – seven out of ten sites surveyed”.
“Examples included Roxboro Shopping Centre (a top ranking sites for many previous IBAL surveys), the residential areas of O’Malley Park and Carew Park / Kincora Park and the main area of Galvone Road Industrial Estate / Enterprise Park”.
The two heavily littered / dumped upon sites have been highlighted in many previous IBAL surveys – the bring facility at Roxboro Shopping Centre and the area towards the end of Galvone Industrial Estate. These continue to bring down the overall ranking, the report stated.
Commenting on the survey, Mayor of Limerick John Moran said the local authority was “encouraged by the progress noted in this latest IBAL survey”.
“The absence of blackspots and the recognition of our city’s most prominent streets and public spaces reflect the hard work of our staff, local businesses, and community volunteers. It’s a step in the right direction.”
Mayor Moran said that “in support of these efforts, Limerick City and County Council has a dedicated City Centre Maintenance Team, comprising five staff members”.
“This team is tasked with maintaining the cleanliness and upkeep of the city centre’s public realm. Working alongside existing cleansing crews, they are also engaging directly with traders and private property owners to tackle persistent litter issues and improve the overall appearance of the city.”
