It is official – “Summer’s here!!!!”

The June Bank Holiday weekend is once again just around the corner. Boy does this come around quicker each year, or am I just getting older?

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”.

Do our Festivals matter?

Festivals & mud go hand in hand!

Yes they do!

As a City and County that prides itself on a huge number of diverse annual festivals and events, some of which have actually reached International status, we should be very proud of the fact that we can state that Waterford is one of the busiest festival regions in the country.

Yet we are still, in the perception of many, lagging way behind the likes of Galway, Dublin and Cork, and when you look at what is on offer I often wonder why we are perceived to be somehow a lesser festival product than these other Cities.

Maybe they just shout much louder than us!

At last week’s plenary meeting of Waterford Council, in addition to clarification on the newly introduced Commercial Rates levy on empty premises, which along with the general commercial rates revenues, circa €33,000,000, which help fund our many festivals and events, the issue of festival funding was discussed and debated quite robustly by a number of our Councillors.

It was refreshing to see such vigorous debating, with a number of valid and poignant reasons why the proposed contributions by Council to festivals and events had to be right for the City and County.

Waterford Walls.

With circa €1,430,000 of disposable spend available to the 58 identified festivals and events the Council must get the support grant structure accurate, fair and true, to nurture the very best of these, whilst allowing a significant financial contingency to support new fledgling festivals and events, that will ultimately replace those that have come to the end of their natural lifespan.

We do need a constant conveyor belt of new festivals and events and that is why any grant or support funding available must be distributed as equitably as possible and disseminated by knowledgeable qualified people who know, or at the very least have familiarity with, what will and will not work for Waterford.

The initial draft Council document has suggested that future funding would be evaluated by a nominated three person panel. Quite rightly our Councillors literally jumped all over this suggestion by stating that these decisions should be made by Waterford’s Councillors, as they are elected to represent the people and the businesses of Waterford. An external panel, no matter what their experience, will not be as focused and or as in touch with Waterford’s event needs.

For the first time in a long time it was refreshing to hear our Councillors speaking with one voice on this matter and demanding that the Executive bring the issue of allocating grant funding back to the Councillors for their direct input and ultimately authorisation.

It would be absolutely criminal to think that a festival or event could thrive or fail on the recommendation of a three person panel who may not know the history or relevance of a particular festival or event.

The support funding available to festivals and events is a vital building block to allow growth, regionalisation and ultimately, where relevant, nationalisation through the generation of extra bed nights to the City and County.

From small acorns large trees can grow, but only if the soil conditions are right and the tree is maintained and looked after.

Up, up & away!

We can see the huge and well deserved success that Spraoi is now having, despite loss of some national funding, and the acorn planted many, many years ago has now seen this organisation support its first ever UK festival, in sunny Scarborough.

The variety in our festivals and events is a joy to behold and whilst some get huge grant income, up to circa €430,000 that some might feel could be better spent, others clearly get smaller contributions that perhaps fit the profile of a fledgling festival looking to establish roots and grow.

The split between City and County is always an interesting debate but we all know that a great festival or event for City or County is good for everyone concerned.

After all are we not one of the same?

Waterford - a busier City than you might think!

Summer Solstice

So the longest day of the year has now passed us by and from now on the days start to get much shorter and we shall start to notice it is getting darker much earlier in the evening – just how depressing is that thought!

Still on the plus side there is much to look forward to this summer in and around Waterford City and County. I would urge everyone to actually seek out the many wonderful events and activities that have been scheduled for our entertainment and for the entertainment of the thousands of visitors we expect to see over the rest of the Summer months. And remember that many of these events and activities are actually free to attend – now if that has not lifted your spirits’ I do not know what will.

Starting this weekend is the return of the very successful Summer In The City programme of events. We will see bands and tribute acts returning to the stage in John Robert’s Square every Friday evening and every Saturday afternoon. In addition there will be family fun and kiddie orientated entertainment from 12:30 on Saturday until 14:30. ArtBeat will also be performing with live acts across the City and will be delivering their usual cutting edge blend of new local musical talent. ALL of these events are free to attend courtesy of Waterford Council and Waterford Business Group. This is the second year of Summer In The City and the programme continues to grow in popularity and is something that we all should and need to start supporting.

There can be no more excuses that the City Centre has “nothing on” as this programme of 12 weeks of  entertainment starts off this Friday and Saturday with Suzie Q and Thank Funk and runs right through until Saturday 12^th September.

A City In Bloom.

You may also have noticed that the City Centre is beginning to look “Blooming Marvellous” as more and more City Centre shops and business from the Train Station to The Quay to John Robert’s Square to Michael Street to Arundel Square start to display wonderfully colourful hanging baskets and flower boxes. This voluntary initiative started last year with the Council and Waterford Business Group and is beginning to spread right across the City Centre and in time will no doubt include Ferrybank as well. This five year project will grow exponentially year on year and we would like to believe that by the end of year five every single business in the City will partake in the initiative. The cost is minimal, the initiative supports local businesses and best of all, the entire City looks fantastic to citizens and visitors alike.

City In Bloom makes us stand out from the crowd and let us not forget that colour and flowers make people smile and the colourful displays will also make people look up at a our wonderful buildings and architecture.

But the City In Bloom needs everyone to play their part and we must be encouraging people to keep their City clean and tidy, keep their City void of dog poop and ensure that we all, where possible, encourage shops and businesses to participate in City In Bloom. There is still time for business to get involved and they only have to ask a member of the Waterford Business Group for information.

As our Summer rolls on we can look forward to Day Tripper with its blend of old and new music and this year we can all relax with a glass of Red Red Wine. The Tramore Promenade Festival in early July promises to deliver a whole host of exciting events and activities. Spraoi comes around every year at the end of July beginning of August and the 2015 event promises to bring a wonderful array of diverse acts back to Waterford City once again. The annual Harvest Festival comes to us early in September when we can celebrate all things foodie and look forward to sampling some of the best our local food producers can provide.

And outside of the events there are many, many more local events taking place such as the Boobs and Balls Solas Centre motorcycle show, National Heritage Week, Dunmore East Bluegrass Festival, Robert Boyle Summer School and much, much more.

For those feeling a little more energetic you can run in the Viking Marathon or cycle in the Sean Kelly Tour of Waterford or partake in the Comeraghs Wild Festival.

We so often hear and read about other about other towns and cities being much, much busier than Waterford and perhaps the reality is that this is simply not true. It may just be the case that these urban areas have been in this space far longer than Waterford. These urban areas have been attracting tourist and their citizens into the centres for far longer than Waterford and as a result are perceived to be much better at this process. The truth is they are much better at the Public Relations and spin and this in part makes these areas seem more attractive.

Waterford has an awful lot of catching up to do and this will take time. But we are moving in the right direction and we need to keep up the engagement with organisers of the right events that will attract the right people to Waterford and its City Centre.

I have always said that Waterford has the right people to make the City and County the MUST place to visit. It is just that so often many stakeholders are much happier to engage with people and businesses from outside of the Waterford environs. This needs to stop and these decision makers need to be secure in the knowledge that the talented people of Waterford can deliver just as much as the talented people of Kilkenny, Dublin, Galway and so on.

Once you start to dig just a wee bit deeper you start to see a picture emerging that there is actually an awful lot of events and activities going on this Summer across the whole of Waterford and many taking place in the City Centre itself.

We are really quite fortunate to have so many organisations, often thanklessly working away on our behalf, creating and running events for our enjoyment.

It really is time to celebrate the fact the as our days are beginning to get shorter there are more and more events available for us to attend. There can be no more excuses that other places do it better than Waterford because quite clearly we are leading the way and this alone is worth shouting about.

Here’s hoping the optimism continues in 2015.

In Scotland we would celebrate Hogmanay or the last day of the year, and thus we would be celebrating the passing of the Old Year rather than the tradition of our Auld Enemy south of the border who celebrate the coming of the New Year.

All across Scotland there would be regional variations to Hogmanay including places like Stonehaven that would have a parade of flaming fireballs down the main street, Dundee would have the traditional first-footer (or first visitor) bringing into the house not the usual gift of coal but a fancy herring, in Falkland there would be a torchlight procession up the Lomond Hills (an extinct volcano), St.Andrews would have a tradition of specially baked cakes but in reality we Scots are of course known for one huge party on the 31^st December that may continue for two or even three days into the month of January.

The formula for a traditional BIG party on Hogmanay has now been exported around the globe and Edinburgh led the way many, many years ago and this winning formula has now morphed into a celebration that lasts several days, starting pre-Christmas and finishing in early January. Our celebrations would also guarantee many a sore head and the serious threat of one biblical hangover for hundreds of thousands of teenagers and young adults. But as I have grown older and wiser the ability to balance alcoholic intake in smaller measures has now come to me and the years of celebrating Hogmanay with such gusto are now few and far between. The tradition still carries on in the Garland household that we celebrate the passing of the Old Year and we remember the good and try to forget the bad on 31^st December of each year.

Away from the commercialisation of Hogmanay many families will sit down with friends and neighbours and recall the best and worst of the past year. And the worst of the year will be made all the more palatable with the supping of a good Scottish malt, the singing of Auld Lang Syne (crossing arms only during the last verse) and of course the obligatory countdown, with BBC One Scotland on the television, to signal the passing of the Old Year and the beginning of the New Year.

2014 has been a hugely busy year for the Waterford Business Group (WBG) whom I am immensely proud to say I am a founding member of. The main committee is made up of 5 females and 7 males, which gives the committee a unique dynamic unlike any other group I have been involved in, and believe you me I have been involved in a staggering amount of committees and groups.

Founded in March 2013 and formalised with a full constitution in January 2014 the WBG has achieved an astonishing amount in not even 24 months in existence. The achievements are made all the more remarkable considering that the Group is entire voluntary, is membership based, and receives no funding from any other sources bar membership income and through fundraising.

The committee members are giving their time and energy for FREE for the betterment of the City, County and the people of Waterford and yet we and many other voluntary groups still hear firsthand the negativity and pessimism towards our work, and through the wonders of social media we continually read from keyboard warriors of how it could and should be done better. Perhaps these keyboard warriors’ New Year resolution would be to get involved – only a suggestion!

To get back to celebrating the passing of the Old Year I have highlighted below some of the WBG achievements for 2014. This is by no means an extensive list and has been created in no particular order, as ALL of our achievements no matter how big or small, are important to us. So here are some of the Waterford Business Groups 2014 highlights:

• Lobbying the previous Minister of Environment for commercial rates support to allow the balancing of the City, County and Dungarvan Annual Rate on Valuation in the 2014 and 2015 budgets. 2015 will see no commercial rates increases for businesses.
• Lobbying Government for additional grant funding to allow capital works such as the painting of Michael and John’s Street buildings to be carried out.
• Integral part of the City Centre Management Group and are one of the most active stakeholders on said Group.
• Working with new and potential City Centre investors to ensure that they invest in Waterford City.
• Creation of a new Waterford Business Group website specifically developed for members and businesses to use – www.waterfordbusinessgroup.com
• Creation of Waterford Street Ambassadors who support the Group’s activities, act as a contact point for local businesses and can be the “eyes and ears” for businesses in the City.
• Creation of the Waterford Retail Watch Scheme. A closed texting service that circulates information and descriptions about potential shoplifters, know criminals etc. The scheme has netted some excellent results in 2014.
• City In Bloom initiative that saw the City blooming with flowers throughout the Summer of 2014. This project will be extended in 2015 and beyond.
• Shop Local Saturday supported by the WLR FM outside broadcast unit and supported by a Live Local, Love Local, Shop Local campaign.
• Summer In the City musical festival with Waterford City Council and ArtBeat.
• Purple Flag initiative stakeholder and one of the most active stakeholders working on this project for the City along with City Council, Chamber and Garda.
• Guerrilla Gardening project along The Quays and throughout Ferrybank.
• Founders of the Waterford Shopping Voucher along with the Chamber. This local shopping voucher scheme has the potential to keep literally thousands of Euro circulating in the local economy.
• Support for many local projects including the New Street Gardens, Winterval and many others.
• Liaising with local Garda to keep our Waterford City safe.

The WBG have done so much in the past year and we would hope that come the end of 2015 we will have an even bigger list of achievements to publish.

On a final note I do hope that we can all march through 2015 with renewed optimism and a sense of pride in our City knowing that there are individuals that are willingly giving their own free time to make Waterford the best place in Ireland to live, work and play.

Our collective efforts will bring real rewards and remember that there is strength in unity and strength in numbers. So support local when and where you can as you know deep down it makes sense.

I hope that 2015 brings everyone health and happiness.

ENDS

Michael Garland, founder of bizBoost