Cork streets ahead at awards

CORK was streets ahead of the competition yesterday, scooping three top awards for its new thoroughfare.

St Patrick’s Street, known affectionately as Pana, was named Ireland’s overall best street, Ireland’s best shopping street, and the winner of the City Neighbourhood 2004 award at the Department of the Environment’s City Neighbourhood awards in Dublin yesterday.

The awards come after almost two years of disruption as part of the street’s €12 million revamp, which was 50% funded by the Department of the Environment, and just weeks after its official opening.

It was marked in a number of categories, including litter and dereliction, landscaping, culture and tradition and access and amenities. However, gaps in some sections of the new paving work still need to be filled in.

The city’s Crawford Art Gallery won the best civic building award, while South Mall, last year’s overall winner, came second in the best business street category.

City manager Joe Gavin, who was joined at the awards ceremony by Lord Mayor Sean Martin, city engineer Kevin Terry and Cork Business Association chairman Frank Hanley, said the awards were a great boost for the city centre.

“We can now sell the city as the best place in Ireland to do Christmas shopping,” Mr Gavin said.

“I want to acknowledge the support the department gave, and to acknowledge the traders’ support and tolerance during the works.”

The City Neighbourhood competition, now in its second year, is for residential and commercial districts in Cork, Dublin, Galway, Limerick and Waterford.

The prize for the best residential area went to Silverbrook Housing Estate in Limerick while Salthill in Galway took the award for best urban village.

The awards were presented by Minister of State Batt O’Keefe.

“Not only have you laid a strong foundation for the competition to build on, but also by coming out on top you have demonstrated your willingness to lead from the front and set the standards for others to follow,” he told the winners.

He encouraged city councils to streamline local competitions next year so the highest achievers from each competition would go on to compete at national level.