Vol. 1. No. 1 (2017)
ISSN—Pending
C.A.E.R.A. NEWS Cross Avenue and Environs Residents’ Association Dún Laoghaire
NEW RESIDENTS’ ASSOCIATION With the wonderful upgrading of the public realm by the County Council in the Cross Avenue area of central Dún Laoghaire, a number of residents of the area decided that the time was right to establish a local organisation with the following objectives: • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • •
To provide a forum for residents to work together in our common interest To promote pride of place and good neighbour policies and actions To promote the enhancement of the public realm To establish and maintain a Neighbourhood Watch Scheme in conjunction with An Garda Síochána To support and participate in the Local Policing Forum To promote community safety issues and initiatives To participate in the Tidy Districts Initiative To participate in the Council's 'Age Friendly County' initiatives To promote and implement ‘Child Friendly Initiatives’ To campaign against fly-tipping, littering and dog fouling in the area To work with local County Councillors, Teachtaí Dála and Senators in the furtherance of CAERA objectives To work with other residents' associations in our common interest To organise community events to further CAERA objectives To campaign for proper traffic management in the area. Join the Countywide Public Participation Network (PPN) Publish a newsletter and/or have a presence on social media
The local area covered by CAERA is the same as that covered by Specific Local Objective 152 (for information on SLO 152—please see over) of the Dún Laoghaire Rathdown County Development Plan, 2016-2022 and includes: Convent Road, Cross Avenue, Wolfe Tone Avenue, Desmond Avenue, Mills Street, Tivoli Terrace East (northern section nearest to Cross Avenue), Northcote Avenue (eastern section nearest to Library Road), Dominick Street, St. Mary's Street, St. Brendan's Terrace, St. Michael’s Terrace, Library Road, Oratory Court, and Rosary Gardens East and West. The nearly completed ‘SLO 152 Pilot Scheme’ on Desmond Avenue and the elements of SLO 152 incorporated into the Traffic Management Scheme on Cross Avenue provide a wonderful glimpse of the potential of SLO 152 to totally transform the public realm in our area. YOUR Residents’ Association was established to ensure the delivery of SLO 152 throughout the local area. WE NEED your support!
STEERING COMMITTEE The inaugural meeting of the Residents Association was held on April 5th 2017, chaired by local Councillor Michael Merrigan, adopted a Constitution for CAERA. Attendees volunteered to serve on a Steering Committee to run the dayto-day affairs of your new Residents’ Association. The CAERA Steering Committee working on your behalf for 2017 is as follows: Chairperson: Eoin Ó Cionnaith of Wolfe Tone Avenue; ViceChairperson: Eamonn Doyle of Convent Road; Hon. Secretary: Agnes Daly of Tivoli Ter r ace East; Hon. Treasurer: John Brady of Desmond Avenue; Publicity Officer: Veronica Heywood of Cross Avenue and the following Members: Mary Moore and Martin Barnes of Convent Road, Mary McGrath of Wolfe Tone Avenue, Tony Tallant of St. Michael’s Terrace, Anne McMahon of St. Mary’s Street, Maggie Byrne of Desmond Avenue and Leon Atkins of Rosary Gardens. The Annual General Meeting of CAERA will be held in April 2018 when an Executive Committee will be elected by the residents.
FUNDING CAERA The Steering Committee agreed that each household in the CAERA area would be asked to pay an Annual Subscription of €5.00 to help fund your new Residents’ Association. CAERA has also applied to the County Council for a ‘Start-up Grant’ and a minor ‘Equipment Grant’. Committee members will be calling to each house shortly to collect the Annual Subscription. PLEASE SUPPORT CAERA
ANTISOCIAL BEHAVIOUR
TRAFFIC AND PARKING
Residents have complained to the County Council and to An Garda Síochána regarding the activities of groups of youths entering the Cross Avenue area in the evenings, especially at weekends.
The Cross Avenue Scheme has altered the way traffic used to navigate the Town Centre and this has caused some problems, most notably, in Wolfe Tone Avenue. Traffic levels on this narrow cul-de-sac have always been unacceptably high as it is used to access the ARK Veterinary Clinic instead of using its Patrick Street entrance which would be safer. New signage has been ordered by the County Council to indicate that Wolfe Tone Avenue is a cul-de-sac and that there is no right turn on exiting the avenue. Parking on the pavements around the junction of Cross Avenue and Convent Road is illegal and residents are advised to report incidents to An Garda Síochána.
A special “Intervention Initiative” was established by the Council in conjunction with the Gardaí and the operators of the Boylan Centre. The group has met each month since January 2017, however, as the problem involves mostly youths from outside the local area effective “intervention measures” are difficult to put in place. Gardaí advise residents to phone 666 5000 to report incidents and to have the Garda CCTV directed to the area concerned. You don’t have to give your name, however, it’s a good idea to ask for the name of the Garda who took your call. The Steering Committee of CAERA has agreed to adopt a “Zero Tolerance” approach to antisocial behaviour and urges all residents to report incidents.
SPECIFIC LOCAL OBJECTIVE 152 What is SLO 152 and why is it so important for our local area of Dún Laoghaire? SLO 152 was proposed as an amendment to the Draft County Development Plan by Cllr. Michael Merrigan and seconded by Cllr. Victor Boyhan. The proposal received the support of all, but one, of the Dún Laoghaire Local Electoral Area Councillors. A vote on the Motion taken on October 15th 2015 was carried with 30 votes in favour and 9 against. The text of the SLO is as follows: That, a Specific Local Objective be included to 'Enhance the character, ambiance and quality of the environment, historic streetscapes and public realm of the residential streets in the areas adjoining Lower George's Street, Dún Laoghaire and in particular, the areas of early twentieth century social housing, to ensure that the public realm in this older residential area which, is in close proximity with the core business district of the Town, is enhanced, improved and maintained to the standard provided for other residential and business districts adjoining Upper and Lower George's Street.”
This SLO is vitally important for our area as the public realm here had been neglected for decades and the streetscape was almost completely devoid of greenery. The “pilot scheme” on Desmond Avenue designed by Bob Hannan and his team at County Hall is a wonderful example of what can be achieved. Residents are delighted with the new layout, the eight silver leaved whitebeam trees, lavender plants and central seating area. The ESB is due to remove the three old ESB poles to be replaced with four Victorian style lampposts. Then finally the sandblasting of the road surface will change its colour from black to a buff colour like the house bricks.
STREET CLEAN-UPS CAERA is anxious to organise street clean-ups and the Steering Committee has applied for funding for brushes and litter-pickers from the Council. Volunteers will be sought to organise street teams in the coming weeks. It’s our area, let’s keep it clean!
FLY-TIPPING & DUMPING Nothing destroys an area more than fly-tipping and dumping of household rubbish. The Cross Avenue area, including the laneway, had been a notorious “black -spot” for fly-tippers of household furniture, refuse bags and bags of empty bottles. The County Council’s Litter Wardens have warned local residents of the penalties. But many of incidents involve items dropped off from passing vehicles. CAERA is determined to combat this antisocial and illegal behaviour.
BIN COLLECTION—DESMOND AVENUE Following the damage to a bollard on Cross Avenue by a large truck, many residents on Desmond Avenue were concerned that the bin lorry reversing up the avenue could damage the new layout of the street. CAERA is asking residents to bring their refuse bags to the bottom of the avenue for collection.
LIBRARY ROAD AREA Residents have contacted CAERA regarding reports that the Library Road element of the Cross Avenue and Environs Traffic Management Scheme has been abandoned by the Council. The Council has confirmed that these reports are incorrect. The Library Road element requires further public consultation which will be undertaken in due course.
GULLIES BLOCKED Blocked gullies in the Cross Avenue area caused flooding during the recent heavy rain. The Council has been made aware of the need for urgent action. 24 HOUR COUNCIL EMGERGENCY SERVICE
Tel: 01. 677 8844 Report an issue on-line at: http://dlrcoco.ie/en/report-it CAERA is a non-party political, non-sectarian, community based voluntary membership organisation. CAERA shall not field or endor se candidates in Local Author ity, Oireachtas or European Parliament Elections CAERA is a member of Public Participation Network of Dún Laoghaire Rathdown County Council and of The Wheel. Follow CAERA on Facebook on /DunLaoghaireCAERA/ C.A.E.R.A NEWS is published by the Cross Avenue and Environs Residents’ Association, c/o Chairperson, CAERA, 25, Wolfe Tone Avenue, Dún Laoghaire, Co. Dublin.