BUSINESSES on Rock Street combined forces with Tralee Tidy Towns for a clean-up this morning, the first in the Tidy Towns new street by street initiative.
“It has been a very good response, almost every business on the street has sent someone out this morning. We had about 35 people in total” said Gretta O’Rourke of Tralee Tidy Towns.
“We’re trying to encourage civic duty and get people out on the streets to do a clean up and have a bit of craic,” she added.
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Since the financial crash, the street has seen a number of vacant premises spring up, however there was good news last month with the announcement The Brogue Inn will be re-opening its doors once again.
“The street was getting worse, but with The Brogue opening again it should give it a good shot in the arm. It was always looking well down there and it was good for Rock Street,” said Richie Houlihan of An Shebeen Bar.
The biggest task, the Tidy Towns say, is to change the mindset of some of the people who live in the town.
“It’s kind of an inherent carelessness with some people’s attitude towards litter. Take chewing gum for instance. It is very difficult to tidy up, but would be no problem at all for the person who drops it, to put it in a wrapper and wait to put it in a bin,” said Gretta.
Some smokers are also a litter problem says Richie.
“It’s very hard with the cigarette butts. We try to make people go out the back to the smoking area, but they sometimes come out to the front. The butts get under the stones on the path which makes it difficult to pick them up,” said Richie Hoolahan
Liam Cleary of Kelliher’s Hardware thought the street by street clean-up is a good idea.
“It’s a nice idea as it keeps the town tidy and clean. With the smoking ban, the cigarettes would be the main problem on the street, we sweep outside the front every morning so it doesn’t get too bad,” said Liam.
“I think it’s a brilliant idea,” said Stass Goreansky of the Salt Room in Milk Market Lane.
“The council can’t do everything, if we can all do a little bit it will make our town cleaner and people would be happier,” said Stass.
The businesses who took part in the clean up were, Ray’s Loaded Lunches, Radleys IT, Halotherapy, Rock St Post Office, Garvey’s Supervalu, Marie’s Hair Studio, Batt Coffey Shoes, Lormar Gift Shop, Kellihers Hardware, Incensed, An Sheebeen, Dan Devane Video, and Ikon.