Waterford City Council is to seek to make plots available for the growing of fruit, vegetables or flowers in order to encourage healthy eating and outdoor exercise.
A motion requesting such a move was tabled by Cllr Mary Roche at last week’s Council meeting and it received unanimous support.
Referring to the fact that the motion had been on the agenda since August 2008, Cllr Roche acknowledged that it had been somewhat overtaken by events in that similar schemes had now taken off all over the country and the Council itself was in the process of making land available for the purpose at Hennessy’s Road.
She welcomed that and hoped it would be replicated elsewhere throughout the city.
Seconding, Cllr David Cullinane asked the City Manager to bring forward an inventory of suitable land, acting on a ward by ward basis. He accepted that, in fairness to the Manager, they would be pushing an open door in that that regard.
Cllr Cha O’Neill made the point that many large back gardens in the city were falling into ruin and he suggested the householders concerned might permit the spare ground to be utilised by other families for the purpose mentioned.
Acting Manager Ms Collette Byrne said the Council would be developing an allotment policy, with guidelines for applications.
