Page 18 - Chief Executive Report - July 2022

PARKS & SPECIAL PROJECTS COMMUNITY The National Pride of Place awards promotes

A group of Rural Recreation Officers visited Woodstock Loop Walks in late June on a field trip National Play Day and celebrates the best in community
development and recognises the selfless efforts
organised by the Leader Partnerships in conjunction with the Dept of Rural and Community National Play Day 2022 takes place from 2nd of people in making their local area a better
Development. The meeting was a great success with lunch provided for the group from all over to 9th July with the aim of promoting play and place to live, work and socialise.
Ireland in the Tea Rooms after a strenuous walk uphill from Inistioge village. recreation opportunities for children and young
people all over Ireland. This year’s theme is ‘All Outdoor Community Exhibition
Play Together’. Kilkenny County Council is Basketball Game/Festival 9th July
proud to support these play initiatives which 2022 7pm
are part-funded by the Department of Children, Irelands largest outdoor Exhibition Basketball
Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth. game with a number of Irish International and
professional players will participate in this
Kilkenny County Council have worked in event in Thomastown on Saturday 9th of July.
collaboration with Kilkenny Civil Defence, The game will celebrate the first anniversary
Kilkenny Children and Young Peoples Services of the hugely popular outdoor amenity funded
Committee (CYPSC) and HSE Disability under the Town & Village Renewal Scheme
Services Kilkenny to provide sensory gift packs and developed by Kilkenny County Council in
for children and young people with disabilities in partnership with the local community.
County Kilkenny. These packs will ensure that Town and Village Renewal
the children will have stimulating and comforting
toys appropriate to their age and abilities, and Building Acquisition Scheme
will also allow these children to play with their An application has been submitted for
siblings. Kilkenny Civil Defence Volunteers will Glenmore under the 2022 Town & Village
distribute the free play packs throughout County Renewal Building Acquisition Scheme.
Rural Recreation Officers from all over Ireland enjoy Kilkenny during the week Saturday 2nd July to
a tour of Woodstock Gardens 9th July which is always a very enjoyable event

for both the receivers and the volunteers.
Local Biodiversity Action Fund Kilkenny County Council Community
In conjunction with the Heritage Office, the Parks Section applied for funding under the Local Department have worked in collaboration with
Biodiversity Action Fund for invasive species control in both Silaire Wood and Woodstock Kilkenny Civil Defence & Kilkenny Children and
Gardens. This builds on the actions set out in the management plans for invasive species Young Peoples Services Committee (CYPSC)
prepared last year with assistance from the same fund. This year, €20,190 was awarded to to provide outdoor play equipment for Ukranian
Woodstock Gardens for the purchase of a flail to control invasive Laurel growth and to hire in children & teenagers in St. John of God’s
contractors to assist in cutting and mulching the dominant shrub and €6,810 was awarded for Ukranian Housing Centre.
Silaire Woods for the pulling of Himalayan Balsam.
Kilkenny Civil Defence volunteers will deliver
The timing to pull the Himalayan Balsam is key as same needs to commence immediately prior to the following toys and games during the week
the plant flowering and going to seed. Himalayan Balsam is a significant issue on the River Barrow Saturday 2nd July to 9th July: outdoor tennis
having totally colonised many sections of river bank. nets and stands/rackets and balls, outdoor

soccer goals & soccer balls, outdoor friends
Working Groups are beginning to gather in towns in Carlow and Kilkenny to ‘Balsam bash’ in an playhouse, outdoor blackboards/whiteboards
effort to control the plant. A co-ordinated approach is needed due to the prolific nature of the plant & chalks, outdoor jenja games, swing ball
to set seed, thus, one section cannot be treated in isolation. games. The Ukranian community will assist in

Balsam Bashing at Silaire Wood assembling the equipment. This will encourage
On foot of the above funding and with the help of a great team of volunteers from the all children and teenagers to play together and
form friendships with their new friends who they
Graiguenamanagh Canoe Club a Himalayan Balsam bash was held in Silaire Wood recently.
have met since coming to Ireland.
Teams of approximately 20 people assisted each night on the 21st and 22nd of June to pull Pride of Place
this invasive weed before it went to seed to prevent its spread both within the wood and further Dates for the Judging of the National Pride of
downstream. Place Awards have been scheduled for August.
The groups representation Kilkenny in the
2022 national Awards include Mullinavat, The
Callan Barrow Valley Community Development
Tourism HUB (Camping Area) and the
Thomastown Recreational Amenity.
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