About Roundwood > About the RDCC

[Word version]

Hello and welcome to this issue of the RDCC's Newsletter, we hope that the New Year has been good to you so far…

Well 2008 was a busy year for the Roundwood and District Community Council. We would like to take this opportunity

to thank you, the people of Roundwood, for your assistance and support during the various events that took place during

the year. To the RDCC members for their commitment and dedication in the work they do behind the scenes – well done.

The RDCC is not a committee that engages in just administration. Last year we ran a number of events that involved

people helping out, without having to join the committee. Everyone is so busy that attending meetings is a chore. So

we have decided that its time for change. With your help we want to pick issues or projects to work on for 2009. Then

we can work on them together with people who are specifically interested in these projects.

The RDCC is to be used FOR YOU and BY YOU. Find out what is happening now or come along to make a suggestion

to the PUBLIC MEETING ON THE 16TH OF FEBRUARY AT 8PM IN THE OLD SCHOOL. If you can't make the meeting

please fill in the Wish List enclosed and drop it into the Post Office in Roundwood for collection. Feel free to call

Jody Ferguson 086 8394530 or Monica Byrne 086 8055040 for further information on the Community Council

Overview of 2008

The focus of the RDCC in 2008 was improving community awareness through events and projects for the enjoyment

and benefit of the people of Roundwood.

Photography Competition

Early on work started on a Photography Project for the Youth in the village. This project ran until May and when an exhibition

and prize giving took place in the Old School. First prize was won by Aoife O'Reilly whose photos focused on a teddy bears

view of Roundwood. It was a very apt and cute presentation and scooped first prize of a digital camera. So well done

Aoife and to everyone who participated and made this such a successful Project.

Traffic Calming – Success at last

Wicklow County Council finally moved on introducing traffic calming measures to the village. The RDCC spearheaded

the campaign along with the School Parents Association, Roundwood School Board of Management and our local public

representatives. We never gave up hope, we worked together and it has finally paid off. The pedestrian crossing in particular

is excellent as it calms traffic in and around the school which is so vital in ensuring the safety of our children. Well done to all

who played their part in securing these measures and who never gave up the fight. It shows what can be achieved

if we all pull together.

Community Forum

In May we held a Community Forum facilitated by Dermot Hand. This highlighted the need for the RDCC to become

more active and ‘visible' in the village.

Late Late Show

Preparations and reconnoitre began for our Late Late Show spearheaded by our chairperson Jody Ferguson and his

professional team. The motivation for this event was to get people out and about meeting others in the village and regenerate

a sense of community and to make everyone aware of how much is going on in this wonderful village of ours. Everyone really

enjoyed the night and hopefully this will become an annual event.

Other

The Roundwood Youth Club has started back and you'll find them in Áras an Tochar, every Friday from 8 to 9.30. This

year anyone who is 12 years of age and up can join. Among the activities planned are monthly trips! To find out more

call Gerry O' Toole on 087 204 7916.

Roundwood will once again host our friends from Spezet. Our community will once again be joined by

French boys and girls learning our way of life as they spend a week here from May 9th .

New Home for Roundwood Playschool

Roundwood Playschool has recently been given the keys for their new premises in Ashwood Housing Estate in Roundwood.

This group went in search of long term secure accommodation for the school and through the hard work and ingenuity of Marie

Kenny and her committee succeeded in persuading the Council to allow them rent a house in Ashwood.

The RDCC would like to congratulate Marie and her team for such a major step forward. Marie is delighted with their success.

There is some conversion work which is required on the house to make it suitable for a playschool. This will cost in the region

of €6,000. The committee will run a number of fund raising events over the coming weeks and they are asking for the community

to come out and support them in raising this money. Marie would also like to thank our local representatives, and particularly,

Joe Behan and Andrew Doyle for their trojan work in securing the premises. Marie hopes that they will be in their new

premises by March and come September they are planning on setting up a homework club and after school care. So well

done folks, ye should be very proud of your achievement and we wish ye well in the future.

Roundwood Tidy Towns

Throughout the year the Tidy Towns Committee is tirelessly working in Roundwood. This is a very small committee but

Terry Kavanagh is determined that Roundwood will stay in this competition. His success is highlighted in Roundwood's

ever improving results. Roundwood's adjudication report 2008 is printed in full in this newsletter. We can all look to an even

higher score in 2009 with the new look in parts of the village; The Parish Hall, Heathers Bistro, Centra and Miller Bros. Stone

showrooms. Well done! They look well and add to the overall streetscape. The residents and other businesses of the village

continue to impress visitors, locals and the tidy town judges alike with their floral displays – keep up the great work.

We are now appealing for a little help to maintain this high standard. There are few, if any, meetings involved in Tidy Towns.

We need volunteers to help maintain small areas within the village. Please help out in any small way.

We were delighted to see the opening of the bike track at Ballinastoe, which at one year on, has proven to be great success.

We wish extend a welcome to the Dublin Wicklow Mountain Rescue Team who have established a team base at the Garda Station.

Congratulations and well done to the Parish Hall committee and all associated with the redevelopment of the Parish Hall. Should

you wish to hire the hall, meeting rooms or have any query regarding the new facilities please contact Ben Brady on 01 2818225

or 087 9627527

Website

Cheryl Donahue adopted the www.roundwood.ie website when she moved here and improved it no end. Although Cheryl has

recently moved back to Kerry she continues help us (in the short term!) by emailing the Roundwood notes to all and sundry

every week and updating the website on request. We thank Cheryl for her hard work to date and wish her all the best.

Have you website design and updating skills?

Well we need you. We need a volunteer or two to help update and redesign the website. Unfortunately we do not have the

required skills within the RDCC at the moment. If you are interested in helping us out please get in contact by

emailing roundwooddistrictcc@eircom.net.

Tidy Towns Adjudication Report 2008

Centre: Roundwood   Mark: 241

Overall Development Approach: It is great to welcome Roundwood to the Tidy Towns Competition 2008. Thank you for your

detailed entry form, clear map, publicity clippings and photographs - which make it all the easier to allocate marks. Your committee

of four is quite small for a town the size of Roundwood however the support of Roundwood and District Community Council and

Wicklow County Council has been noted. Your ongoing co-operation with local businesses is commendable. There are many marks

yet to be gained in this section of the competition and you should, perhaps with the help of the Community Council, devise a Three,

Four or Five years plan for the town and submit it with next years entry form. This would allow a significant increase in marks. It is a

pity to note that your committee has lost members of late. Perhaps you should use this as an opportunity to develop a youth branch

to your committee as often this will ultimately involve parents too.

The Built Environment: The Coach House and Roundwood Inn were admired for the most spectacular display of seasonal blooms.

Among the other premises admired in the town were Keeleys, The Health Centre, The Church, Vartry House, Ashley's Barber Shop

and the Post Office. New railings were noted at the old school and the 19th Hole Pub looks remarkably well considering it is

unoccupied. However, the adjoining out houses requires some repair and a fresh coat of paint. A construction site was noted in

the town centre and we look forward to the completion of this project. Stained paintwork at the Credit Union and boundary walls

was disappointing.

Landscaping: Your ongoing work at Synotts corner is commended and it is refreshing to note that you have planted spring bulbs.

The Djouce Wood area is looking well and trees are maturing well. A broken tree at the entrance should be removed and replaced.

Window boxes and hanging baskets brightened up the streetscape with colourful summer blooms. Planting at Roundwood Bank

was a little tired and should be replenished.

Wildlife and Natural Amenities: Roundwood is located in the most spectacular setting with dense woodland. Please ensure to

provide more info rmation and a map of the walking routes in the area as there are many marks to be gained in this section. You

seem to have quite substantial plans with regard to wildlife and we look forward to these coming to fruition in the years to come.

Litter Control: In general, litter control in Roundwood is very good and it is clear that you management strategy in association

with the Town Council and the school is working well and for this you are commended.

Tidiness: Lengthy tracts of neatly presented grass verges certainly add to the tidiness of Roundwood. The presentation of

Roundwood Bank was a little disappointing. Kerbside weeds were noted at the school.

Waste Minimisation: The students and teachers of Roundwood National School are congratulated on achieving their second

Green Flag. It must be wonderful to have so many young experts in the town! It is good to note that recycling is being encouraged

in the community in general too.

Residential Areas: Many of the residences in Vartry Heights looked well although staining on paintwork detracted from some

properties. The bungalows and cottages on the Dublin road were greatly admired of their fresh paintwork and beautifully presented

gardens. Djouce Meadow looked great and the trees and green area are maturing well. Hopefully the remaining boundary walls

will be skimmed and painted before next year's competition. Many of the houses on the road from Vartry House looked marvelous.

Roads, Streets and Back Areas: Roads, streets and back areas are generally quite good in Roundwood. The Bray and Annamoe

roads in particular were admired for their fresh, clean appearance. The approach to Vartry Heights was a little uneven in places but

improved further in.

General Impression: Roundwood is congratulated on the progress to date in the Tidy Towns Competition. Hopefully you will

recover from your stint in the doldrums and come back fighting with new members in 2009! Good Luck!

RDCC Wish list for 2009

•  RDCC Need new members and help with projects

The Community Council needs more active members. We are now a very small group. If you are interested in particular projects or

issues please volunteer to help out with that specific project. There's no need to join the Council if you don't want to. A lot of the work

on projects is achieved through small subcommittees. Information is sent and decisions are often reached via email and text

messages rather than actual meetings.

Please come along to our Public Information Meeting next Monday night and find out more about us.

•  Interpretative map board

In association with the Wicklow Uplands Council a map board will be erected in the village

•  Website development

Improving and updating the www.roundwood.ie website

•  Car parking solutions

Continued consultation with the Health Service Executive to establish an off road car park at the Health Centre

•  Improve Infrastructure

Consultation with Wicklow County Council to further improve Traffic Calming measures and other infrastructure in the village

× ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Ø

Your Wish list for 2009

1.____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

2.____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

3.____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Please fill in your Wish List and drop it into the Post Office or bring it along to the meeting on Monday 16 th of February 8pm

Old School Roundwood. All are welcome particularly new residents to the area.

 QUALITY & EXCELLENCE GUARANTEED

FOR ALL YOUR

BUILDING

EXTENTION

&

RENOVATION REQUIREMENTS

CONTACT TERRY

ON

087 2551579

OR

01 2818294