During 2004 Sligo County Council, in conjunction with Sligo Borough Council, has established a Play Advisory Forum, made up of the various sections within the local authority in addition to representation from the County Childcare Committee, Sligo Sports and Recreation Partnership, Health Promotion Unit, Health Services Executive and Sligo Community Forum. In line with the recommendations in the National Play Policy, the Play Forum are currently developing guidelines in relation to play provision in the county, details regarding joint management arrangements with community groups, insurance, litigation, safety, design and cultural perspectives on play and play promotion. Staff have also been involved in initiatives promoting the importance of play and physical activity amongst young people and have addressed a Regional Conference of the North Western Health Board in Letterkenny in October on Tackling Childhood Obesity.
In 2004 the development of two playgrounds were facilitated in Dromore West and Ballymote.
The Office of Community and Enterprise has been instrumental in developing the structures for the regeneration of Cranmore including the steering committee, the social, economic and community working group, the physical infrastructure working group and the Community Platform. Since the establishment of the Project Office in October, the Office of Community and Enterprise has continued to support the project in an advisory capacity.
The Pride of Place Awards Initiative is a competition organised by Co-operation Ireland to recognise improvements made by local communities to create civic pride in their area.
Co-operation Ireland through their Local Authority Programme has brought Local Authorities together on a cross-border basis for over 10 years. Since 2002, this networking has been co-ordinated through an All-Island Steering Forum of which County Manager Hubert Kearns is a member. One of the steering forums sub committees is the Community and Leisure Sub-Committee which has developed the Pride of Place initiative. The emphasis of this initiative is on involving the community in rural and urban regeneration and generating a sense of community pride around these achievements. It is about specific pride initiatives which will have long lasting and positive impacts; including clearing of litter/graffiti, and improving shop fronts; to the development of community centres, promotion of heritage and tackling social exclusion issues. The competition also promotes cross-border cooperation as well as motivating and rewarding community groups, residents associations and individuals who take positive steps to enhance the area in which they live. The initiative was run on a pilot basis in 2003 and in 2004 it has been extended to cover all counties of Ireland.
The development and promotion of civic pride is enshrined in the 10 year strategy adopted by the Sligo County Development Board; which is a ready illustration of the significance of this initiative. In recent years Local Authorities have moved from being direct funders of community projects to being facilitators, providing technical or logistical support to complement the excellent work being driven by the various communities. Because of this Sligo County Council and Sligo Borough Council established a group comprising Community & Enterprise staff and the Environment Awareness Officers of both Authorities to oversee the Pride of Place programme for 2004.
Eight applications were received for the Sligo Pride of Place Awards from community groups throughout the county.
The applicants were:
One entry per population category can be nominated by the Local Authorities to enter the All Ireland competition
The population categories that Sligo is eligible to compete in are:
The presentation of the Sligo Pride of Place awards took place in the Council Chamber, County Hall, Riverside on Monday 17th May. All entrants received a certificate in recognition of their on-going community work; the certificates were presented by the Cathaoirleach Cllr Joe Cawley and the Mayor Alderman Sean MacManus.
The winners in each category were:
Riverstown Enterprise Development (Sligo) Ltd
Ballymote Family Resource Centre
Ballinode Residents Association
Judging of the All Ireland competition took place during July and August. Judging day for Sligo was 19th August, 2004.
The judges from Co-operation Ireland visited the three areas and each entrant made a presentation to the judges at the start of their visit – giving information about their community group and the activities in which they are involved. The judges then met members of the communities and visited the area.
In Riverstown the judges were taken on a tour of the Folk Park where they met representatives of the various community groups in the locality. They then went on a tour of the village visiting the Garda Barracks, the Church of Ireland, Lis Urlar, the Community Hall, the Catholic Church, Chapel Garden, the Health Centre, Ross Road and the Community Park development.
The presentation in Ballymote took place in the Ballymote Family Resource Centre in Wolfe Tone Street. The judges toured the Town Park where they viewed the Castle and the playground complex. They returned to the Resource Centre via O’Connell Street and concluded their visit with a tour of the centre itself.
City Hall was the venue for the presentation by the Ballinode Residents Association. The judges then viewed the Ballinode area including Elm Park, Glenard, Yeats Village, Mulberry Park, Yeats Student Village, Abbotts and Sligo IT.
The awards ceremony for the All Ireland Pride of Place competition took place in October. Ninety cities, towns and villages from across the country took part in the initiative including Riverstown, Ballymote and Ballinode from Sligo. Prizes were awarded to the winner and two runners up in four population categories. Special awards were also given in recognition of achievement in a particular area.
Riverstown Enterprise Development (Sligo) Ltd was awarded first place in Category 1 (Population up to 1000) of the Pride of Place competition 2004.
The Riverstown group were singled out for praise for their contribution to the economic development of the area, their cross border activities and their tourism development.