Go Green Go – Rowan Heights Initiative nominated for Pride of Place 2013

Rowan Heights are delighted to have been nominated by the Drogheda Borough Council for the Pride of Place Awards. The judging is currently taking place and results will be known later this year.

Go Green Go has been in operation since 2008 following on from the New Beginnings ceremony where the community decided to harness the communities new spate of enthusiasm.

A constituted committee was established to facilitate and enact the aspirations of the community and implement relevant actions to achieve the desired goals.

Go Green Go’s simple aims are:

• To create an area of wellbeing
• To promote a sense of community within the estate
• To enhance environment
• To create a space that would be age and child friendly and accessible to all
• To have Youth Participation in the planning and the design and implementation of both.

With a community project with such longevity the constant challenge is to maintain the high level of energy needed from the community to keep our project going.

Events such as Community Planting Day have been organised where 75 trees & 1,400 daffodil bulbs were planted.  Plenty of bacon and sausages sandwiches eaten, thanks Joan! 14 flower beds were created with 1,500 bedding plants, one Multi Usage Games Area (MUGA) was created, an 8ft anti-climb fence was erected, a putting green was developed, a biodiversity garden was created, eight volunteers participated in safe pass training.

The hard work has paid off:

• July 2010 – Runner up in the 30-100 housing estate category and overall “Best Newcomer” in the Beauty on The Boyne competition.
• July 2011 – Runner up in the 51-100 housing estate category in The Beauty on The Boyne competition.
• July 2012 – Runner up in the 51-100 housing estate category in The Beauty on The Boyne competition.
• July 2013 – Nominated by Drogheda Borough Council for the Pride of Place awards.

The expertise and innovation learned from the Go Green Go process has willingly been shared in areas as far and wide as Tallaght, Navan, Carrickmacross and Dundalk.

Presentations were given to a European group from Denmark who graced us with their presence as part of a fact finding mission from the EU.  Cross community presentation also given in Drogheda Institute of Further Education where local sister communities engaged in a Q&A format.

Other beneficial networks have also been developed including links with the Des Smyth Youth Foundation that allows for the training of young anglers within the community.  Each summer a community volunteer in partnership with professional anglers encourage young people from the estate to discover the joy of lake fishing for which Respond are very grateful.