Spring review with Waterford Council

Spring review

with Waterford Council

April 2022 brought a brandnew festival to Waterford City. For the April Fools Day weekend, Waterford City and County Council’s Arts office introduced the subversive and slightly scandalous ‘Foolhardy Festival of Comedy and Commedia’ to Ireland’s oldest city. Based around Waterford’s Cultural Quarter, the festival featured open-mic sessions, live quizzes, family workshops and even a session for kids with the grand title of ‘Picasso, Cubism and a Pig!’

BIRD HIDE

Waterford’s newest bird hide was officially opened in Tramore by the Mayor of Waterford City and County Cllr Joe Kelly. The location of the bird hide is of particular significance as Tramore’s back strand is an important habitat for a variety of birds, in particular little egrets, oystercatchers, herons, snipes and sanderlings.

BEST PLACE TO LIVE

In recognition of Waterford winning the title of Ireland’s Best Place to Live in association with The Irish Times, a ‘Best Place to Live’ symposium was held in Waterford’s Theatre Royal. The event was facilitated by economist and author David McWilliams, Kevin O’ Sullivan IT Environment Editor, Jennifer O’Connell IT columnist and IT Managing Editor Conor Goodman. There was fascinating insight from contributors to Waterford’s education, enterprise, environment and arts and culture sectors, highlighting the factors that make Waterford Ireland’s Best Place to Live.

The following day, a Family Fun Day was held in Waterford City centre. The free event, which included live music, magicians, acrobats, as well as the Big Dig and Calmast (STEM) events, was a wonderful celebration of the warm welcome we offer here in Waterford.

MAY DAY

The celebrations concluded on Sunday, May 1st, as Waterford City and County Council and Waterford Chamber teamed up to bring an afternoon of community fun to the new plaza in Tramore, where live music and street entertainment entertained the large gathering present, to mark the official opening of a new urban renewal space.

May 1st was also a landmark day for Waterford, as the doors of the South East Technological University (SETU) were opened. SETU is the first university presence in the region and marks a truly historic moment in higher education for staff, students, regional stakeholders, and local communities in the South East.

CHARLES BAČIK PLAZA

Deputy Ivana Bacik was present at the House of Waterford Crystal, where her grandfather Charles Bacik, Waterford Crystal co-founder and Czech glass entrepreneur, was honoured with the naming of the plaza in his memory. A plaque commemorating the event was then unveiled by Mayor Kelly, with the area henceforth to be known bilingually as “Plás Charles Bačik / Charles Bačik Plaza.”

BIKE WEEK

Bike Week commenced on May 14 for eight fun-filled days of activity, including a Lunchtime Cycle, Family Evening Cycles, a Dawn Cycle and more.

SOUTH PLAZA

Works commenced on the South Plaza enabling works contract, the first phase for the construction of the New Sustainable Transport Bridge that will link Meagher’s Quays on the South Quays to the North Quays Strategic Development Zone.

The South Plaza will extend east and west of the Clock Tower with public realm enhancement and a focal point for local and visiting pedestrians and cyclists. The plaza will be landscaped with street furniture, incorporating seating, trees, planters, lighting, grassed and paved areas and bicycle facilities.

UKRAINE

The community of Modeligo came together in solidarity with Ukraine. The west Waterford community welcomed Ukrainian families to the locality, after they renovated the old parochial house in the area. The works have been driven by the newly formed Modeligo Community Development group, which is busy welcoming the new families, where the children have started in the local schools.

CREATIVE WATERFORD

The Waterford Designers and Makers Exhibition was launched at the Waterford Gallery of Art on O’Connell Street. Hosting the work of Waterford based design and crafts community, the exhibition reflects on the theme of Waterford and what it means to this community. The event was created by Waterford City and County Council’s Creative Ireland Programme in association with Waterford Local Enterprise Office.

PRIDE MONTH

June 1st marked the first day of Pride Month as Waterford City and County Council celebrated LGBTQ+ people, culture, and communities. Mayor of Waterford City and County, Cllr. Joe Kelly, along with councillors and members of the Dungarvan Pride committee raised the Pride flag outside the Dungarvan Civic Offices to officially launch the start of Pride month.

Whilst in Waterford city, the Pride of the Déise committee organised a jam-packed weekend celebration of LGBTQ+ people and communities, which included a Pride March from Cathedral Square to the Cultural Quarter, PRIDE Ride Greenway Cycle and Rural Pride celebration. Waterford City and County Council is proud to support Pride Dungarvan and Pride of the Déise, in association with Creative Waterford.

BLUE FLAGS & GREEN COASTS

Waterford City and County Council was delighted to receive five Blue Flag and seven Green Coast designations from An Taisce at a ceremony in Wexford, where Kilfarrassey was the latest Waterford beach to achieve Green Coast status.

HOUSING

A new social housing development in the county welcomed its first residents in June. The development, Port na Machan, is funded by the Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage and consists of 16 new social housing units in the picturesque village of Kilmacthomas.