Waterford community scheme transforms 'unsafe' area, conference hears

UCC senior lecturer in environmental sustainability Louise Firth, Professor Brian Ó Gallachóir, UCC associate vice president for sustainability and director of the university's sustainability institute,  research fellow and principal investigator Vahid Aryanpur, Kathryn Brightbill, CUBS, UCC environmental science student Beth Moore, PhD researcher in environmental law Siqi Li, and research fellow and European Climate Pact ambassador Lydia Cumiskey. Picture: UCC/BrÍd O'Donovan

An abandoned site in Dungarvan town, west Waterford, that was plagued by antisocial behaviour, open drug use and illegal dumping now boasts community education and training facilities and garden allotments, a conference has heard.

The project was developed by the Waterford Community Safety Partnership, one of 36 local bodies around the country set up under a national structure.