Rejuvenation attempts are blighted by illegal dumping

Rejuvenation attempts are blighted by illegal dumping

30 September 2015

THE chairman of a Downpatrick residents’ group has criticised people responsible for dumping waste beside a new mural which was recently painted.

Old furniture has been dumped beside a mural which is located at Ardpatrick Avenue ,close to the junction of Vianstown Park.

The mural was provided after the Stream Street Residents’ Association secured funding from Down Community Arts and the Co. Down Rural Community Network.

Residents’ group chairman, John Gordon, believes those who dumped the waste have no regard for the efforts of the people who provided the well-received mural and is angry they did not take the old furniture to Downpatrick’s household recycling centre at the nearby Cloonagh Road.

Mr Gordon suspects the furniture was left beside the mural for use in a Halloween bonfire but is concerned if the material was set alight it would cause major damage to the mural.

“I totally condemn the people responsible for what is in effect illegal dumping,” he declared. “If this material was set on fire and the mural was damaged, we would not have the finances to repair it.

“It would appear people have decided to drive to Ardpatrick Avenue to dump this old furniture. If they had stayed in their vehicle for no more than two more minutes they could have driven to the Cloonagh Road.”

Mr Gordon confirmed he has been in contact with Newry, Mourne and Down Council officials and hopes they will remove the old furniture.

“The Stream Street Residents’ Association works hard on behalf of the people who live at this part of the town and that last thing want to see is people fly-tipping in our area. There is simply no excuse for this kind of behaviour, especially as the civic amenity site is such a short distance from where this old furniture was dumped,” he said.

Mr Gordon added: “I have no doubt those responsible for the illegal dumping would be well aware that the mural has only been in place for a relatively short period of time. We hope this material can be removed shortly in case others are encouraged to dump here as well. That is the last thing the Residents’ Association or people who live at this part of Downpatrick want to see.”