This of course
means that we can forget for a few days at least, our woes, the political
bickering of the FG leadership campaign, the effects of Brexit, the shenanigans
surrounding the funding of our SDZ, our missing catheterization laboratory, our representatives’ empty promises and so on. As the City Centre will be buzzing with all
manner of musical delights and a not insignificant hint of colour, over this June
Bank Holiday weekend.
Returning to
our streets will be the annual “City in Bloom”. A collaborative project between
Waterford Council and Waterford Business Group (WBG), which has made a
noteworthy contribution to additional Tidy Town points for the City. This,
cross city project, has grown literally from few very small seeds, i.e. a
handful of window boxes, to over 300 floral displays! In truth, there is no
limit to this projects growth potential.
Start looking
up at buildings and business shop fronts in the city centre, O’Connell Street, Ferrybank
and Ballinakill Shopping Centre. Soon you will start to see the hint of the
riotous colour which will soon engulf Waterford’s main footfall areas. City in
Bloom will deliver once again for Waterford. In 2018, there could well be an
exciting application to “Tidy Towns”, for Waterford City. Plans are afoot, to
launch a bid as part of a “Bigger and better Tidy Towns”, supported by WBG. There
is even consideration being given to the introduction of specific “Pollen bee friendly
flowers!”, to make the application unique. The seeds have well and truly been
sown (pardon the terrible pun)!
To launch the
2017 City in Bloom festival of flowers, there is an excellent competition for
businesses to take part. WBG have teamed up with one of their members, Morris’s
DIY on the Cork Road, to offer a €1000 voucher to the “Best 2017 improved
shop/business front”. Some say that the best competitions are the simplest. All
businesses have to do is post a before and after picture on www.facebook.com/WaterfordCityCentre/ Pictures must be posted before the August Bank Holiday
and the winners will be announced in mid September. Businesses are allowed to
post pictures retrospectively, provided the facelift/improvements took place
from January 2017.
In conjunction
with the launch of City in Bloom, Summer in the City makes a very welcome
return to our city centre. On the main stage in John Robert’s Square we will
see live acts performing across the opening weekend and right through, the
hopefully long balmy summer weekends, to late August. The programme promises to
deliver some age old favourite tribute acts, a smorgasbord of local singing
talent and then there’s ArtBeat. This will once again showcase some of
Waterford’s best emerging young talent. Bailey’s New Street will host ArtBeat
every Saturday afternoon.
If we can now
ask the weather gods to shine down upon us this summer, we are sure that all
the programmes being launched this weekend, will help to get our city rocking,
over the months of June, July and August.
There is much
to look forward to around the wider county as well. You will find that there is
a festival taking place somewhere, to undoubtedly suit any interest, hobby, or
pastime. In terms of the bigger national and international picture, Redwater is
flying the PR flag for our pretty, attractive coastal villages. We have already
heard stories of people coming to the locations, where this drama has been
filmed. Long may this continue and we hope to exponentially see more and more
coming as the programme develops its fan base.
Our city should
bloom during the Summer of 2017. As we get ready to sow some very strong roots
for future growth and better news, in terms of our economic recovery.
There is much
to look forward to on our horizon. In the meantime please do take time to look up
at our wonderful quirky, higgledy piggledy buildings, sporting the colours of
summer. Enjoy the free entertainment being provided across the city centre.
Above all “Live
local, love local, shop local”.
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