Thank you for your very comprehensive submission, and your map which made my locating the areas which you have worked on very easy. I am impressed with your programme framework and division of tasks into the day to day and the longer term. Your range and quality of contacts with the relevant authorities is impressive and will lay a solid foundation for future progress. The Dalkey Improvement Day created impressive results and also fostered a deeper sense of community, well done. Your support from the business community is also worthy of praise.

Dalkey has rich heritage of commercial and residential architecture, which is evidently much appreciated. The shop-fronts in the village are largely well presented and respect the Victorian heritage of the village. Perhaps it is a little precious to hope for an “authentic Victorian “styled Oriental restaurant? The Queens Pub must have one of the most inviting forecourts in the county. The tasteful re-orientation of the supermarket works well. The more recent Starbucks coffee shop is an object lesson in conservation and redevelopment. The lane way to the Library building is well presented, but the aspect of the lane-way beside 43 Castle Street requires attention. The landscaping of the waste space at the top of Library Lane is pleasant and as with the re-use of the space opposite the bank was an intelligent re-use of what could so easily have been just a litter trap. Your attention to the steps to Bullock Harbour and Kerin’s Lane are very beneficial to the town.

Your work at the Dart Station and the Topaz Station are great improvements. I think that the gravel bed at the petrol station can only be a short term solution and the plastic base is already evident. The Graveyard beside the Tourist Office was locked at the time of my inspection. Perhaps one of your future projects might be to have it cleaned up and sensitively landscaped. It could form a quiet contemplative space in the middle of town.   Well done on the seating in Dillon Park. I noted that the old shelter near the road could be restores and that the area around it could do with a general clearing out of overgrown vegetation. Your other achievements in the parks have greatly improved access. Landscaping on the site beside AIB is a clever dressing up of a site that needs long term development. I was also impressed with your work at Ormeau Drive.

Congratulation on continuing with your Primary School Environmental Educational Scheme, “Seed to Feed”.   The pilot scheme obviously worked well and the proof of that is the fact that many other schools have requested your help. They help of Dun Laoghaire County Council and the staff of Loughlinstown Park is also worthy of praise. The work of staff and parents at Harold Boys Primary School and DLRCC is inspiring in bringing an understanding of wildlife to mind with the hedge planting initiative. I look forward to seeing the results of work to regenerate the Dalkey Quarry. The clean up, initiated by the Irish Mountaineering Club is a good start. Its a grear pity that the HSE got cold feet about the wetlands project but I hope it will see materialisation elsewhere soon.
The telescope and informative sighs at Collimore Harbour are a fitting tribute to John de Courcy Ireland and a useful well located amenity. Your approach to this category is intelligent well thought out and implemented. Congratulations

I was pleased to see so little litter about the town. Your hard work has paid off. In particular your involving the local schools in clean ups has a great educational benefit. The area around the supermarket was clean. This is in part thanks to your tacking the litter traps by raising planting beds and improving the surfaces around the trees. Of course work by the management of the supermarket and the voluntary litter patrols is also vital to keeping this area litter free.   Local litter patrols are hugely beneficial in keep in area clean and here you are again “on –the -ball”.

Congratulations on your progress in this category to date.
Once people understand the need for waste minimisation they are supportive and often very enthusiastic about it. Your presentation by Brenda Palmer will have won more support for the idea. I liked the good idea of having tips on waste minimisation on the community notice boards. Similarly projects such a composting at Harold Boy’s School and bringing children to environmental days in Airfield House is of enormous educational value. My best wishes to Castle Park on getting Green School Status. Good luck with your future plans in this category.

Dalkey has many natural and built features which enhance its appearance. The town is however well managed and constantly under scrutiny for opportunities for improvement by your good selves. Not surprisingly on my visit I found little to complain of in this category. Signs appeared clear and clean. Foot-paths and roads were generally weed-free. Some attention should be paid to the management of the refuse bins in the service lane-way off St Patrick Road which were in need of emptying I notes at strong odour coming from them.

Residential areas were generally well maintained. Thanks in part no doubts to you best garden competition and the Dalkey Improvement Day which tacked a large range of tasks. The unfriendly face of high fences and gates “protecting” front gardens is growing around the town. Perhaps you might tactfully discourage it.

The streets, roads and back areas were generally in a very clean and good condition and there has been an improvement in weed control. Your improvements to specific areas have been noted as your diligence in locating tasks. The granite “Welcome to Dalkey “signs looked fresh. There are a few areas that you might take give your attention to in the coming year including the following: lane-way beside 43 Castle Street needs which needs-weeding and a general clean up Barnhill Road, the main entrance point into Dalkey needs resurfacing. While I understand that this is beyond your range of activities, a gentle reminder to the local authority might see this task adopted into it’s financial estimates. The road surface and some sections of the footpaths at the railway station need repair. I am impressed with the list of works that you have tackled in the
past year.

Your map showing location of projects undertaken very useful. Dalkey was a delightful place to visit, thanks in no small part to you work over the years. Well done.