2009 Annual fee to be reduced to €50
Capital project of tree planting to occur
June/2009
Recent resident association meetings have taken place with a view to major investment in our estate.
The aim will be to improve the landscaping to a much higher standard on the communal areas.
The suggestion is to plant approximately 30 large trees and replace some of the weaker/damaged trees already in place.
The trees we seek are semi mature that will have instant impact on the look of the estate.
Not only will this project improve the appearance of the estate but also will increase property value and desirability of the area.
Despite the 50% reduction in the annual maintenance fee, from 100 to 50 Euros this year this project will go ahead and be a success.
Currently the committee members are working hard to make the most of the available funds and organise ahead for this project. Any assistance in the form of time, transport/ trailers, knowledge is most welcome.
Bellow is the proposed layout of the new tree planting.
April/2009
AGM Minutes:
· Minutes summary from last meeting
· Account status:
o Cashflow statement distributed for viewing
o Recent Costs:
§ Seasons
§ Compost (trees kindly donated by Eamon)
o Future Costs:
§ Landscaping €1600
§ Hotel €60
· 2009 Annual fee to be reduced to €50. Details to be distributed to residents within newsletter stating collection to begin ~ June 15th.
· Projects:
o Estate cleanup
§ Provide refreshments
§ Collect litter
§ Clean up stones on the road
§ Suggestion of May 16th @ 11am for 1-2 hours
§ Max budget of €25
o Planting of new trees
§ Big trees can only be planted in October
§ Good value in Portumna nursery or Shinroan Garden centre
§ Should choose fast growing varieties
§ Max budget of €350
o Painting fence
§ Materials only Vs Materials + Labour
§ Colour to be decided – would need to check with residents at the front in case of colour run on other side of fence
§ Budget of ~€300
o Playground
§ Issue of insurance
§ May revisit if council ever take over estate
· Taking in charge of estate:
o Plebiscite currently has 25 signatures (majority required)
o Ideal would be to have at least 7 more signatures
· Vandalising of trees:
o Need stakes and sheep wire
o Eamon & Brian to discuss
o Need to get families to encourage children to stop vandalising trees
o Next step is to talk to families
o Ultimately we need to get larger trees and more protection
· Committee election:
o Wayne to step down as chairman but will stay on the committee
o Pat voted in as new chairman
o Mairéad stated her wish to step down as secretary. No other secretary voted in so Mairéad to stay on for another 3-6 months, with help from Wayne as needed.
o Mary to remain on as Treasurer
o Brian added as a new member
· AOB:
o Numerous street lights still out. Mairead to follow-up on it.
o Light outside #5 appears dangerous. Eamon & Pat to take a look and follow-up on it.
o Liability – where do we stand if accident. Committee to follow-up in next committee meeting
Actions:
· MF to follow up on street lights issue with Joe McGrath.
· Eamon/Brian to discuss trees and trees protection.
· Eamon/Pat to investigate light near #5.
· MF to prepare newsletter to send to all residents. To be reviewed at next committee meeting. It should include meeting summary, collection status (detailing house numbers of those who haven’t paid 2008 fee), details of 2009 fee and collection dates, and notification and invitation for estate cleanup.
April/2009
Dear Resident,
It is time again for the Annual General Meeting of the Eden Park Resident’s Association. It will be held on Thursday 30th April 2009 at 8:30pm in O’Deas Hotel, Loughrea.
The agenda of the meeting is as follows:
- Finances
- Collection Status
- Bills Outstanding
- Amount to be collected for 2009
- Taking in Charge by County Council
- Vandalisation of Trees
- Potential Projects
- Estate Cleanup
- Planting of new trees
- Painting of the fencing facing the open area
- Other
- New Committee Election
- AOB
All residents are encouraged to attend the meeting. If you are renting, please also feel free to come along, and we’d appreciate if you could forward on the details of this meeting notice to the house owner so that they may attend too.
Eden Park Residents Association Committee
Jan/2009
Residents committee now seeking renewal of landscaping contract.
Sep/2008
Here is a draft letter to be sent to Counsellor Maher, if you wish to add/delete or comment let me know.
Dear Counsellor Maher,
I am writing on behalf of the Residents of Eden Park, Loughrea. We have two pressing problems which are in need of attention. We would ask you as our councillor to pursue the matter and give us some indication as to what action is to be taken and who is ultimately responsible for ensuring these matters are dealt with.
1. The stretch of road between Ard Breeda and Eden Park is in a dreadful condition. Over the last two years several unsuccessful attempts have been made to fill the potholes. The remedial work is of a poor standard and seemingly never inspected by a competent engineer. Is it the case that 14,500 euro has been set aside for these road works?
2. In 2007 the council started to lay a footpath along the front of the Eden Park Estate. A gully one metre wide which runs on the front of the estate with builders rubbish, cones, and drain piping was left by the council workers, which we believe was to be set aside for bedding plants. Again it seems clear there is no supervision or follow up on these matters.
We would therefore be grateful if you would look into these matters for us and give us a meaningful status report as to what is likely to happen and in what time scale. Also who is ultimately responsible for these kinds of services to be executed for and on behalf of the community?
On behalf of the Residents I thank you in advance for looking into this matter for us.
Warm Regards,
- Collection Status
- Bills Outstanding
- Amount to be collected for 2009
- Estate Cleanup
- Planting of new trees
- Painting of the fencing facing the open area
- Other
Residents Meeting Aug/2008
Minutes:
· Minutes from last meeting:
o Change of committee
o Grass Cutting
o €100 towards maintenance
o Council taking in charge of estate
· Agreement to pay Seasons half now, and remaining by end of August when more funds collected.
· Taking in charge of estate requires completed application form, signed petition of majority of residents, letter to council. Whole process could take 12-18 months. Council should issue an acknowledgement of receipt of paperwork within 3 months. Thereafter, the council holds an inspection of the estate. There may be a possibility of an environmental grant.
· Collection status of funds – about ~2200 collected so far (to be confirmed at end of meeting). Need to collect remaining funds from those who haven’t yet paid. So far excellent response from residents – all have been quite pleasant to committee collectors.
· Agreement that amount to be collected next year should be reviewed when all quotes received.
· Numerous street lights out. ESB to be contacted.
· Painting of fence behind front houses discussed again. Depends on amount leftover – to be reviewed when amount known.
· Further staking of trees required. To be reviewed when all money collected and leftover amount known. Noted that next trees to be sown should be more mature to be able to stand up to children’s play.
· Request for car parking for overflow vehicles. Noted that at times it can be very busy, where multiple vehicles park on the green – this can be dangerous to other drivers, in particular when kids are at play on the green and the parked vehicles limit the driver’s view of the children. May be expensive to make tarmacadamed area within green. To be reviewed when all money collected and leftover amount known.
· State of footpath in front of estate discussed again. Noted that it’s the council’s responsibility. Council, Moggie Maher and Ciaran Cannon to be contacted in respect of footpath and state of Caheronaun Road.
· Newsletter to be sent to all houses. It should include meeting minutes from this meeting, and a general reminder to all residents to be aware of the damage to trees and to be careful when in contact with them. It should also remind them of website and to use it to keep up to date with residents association news.
· No further meeting of all residents required again until end of year.
Actions:
· MF to send cheque to Seasons. After reviewing amount collected, decided to pay amount in full as soon as possible in line with what was agreed previously.
· MF to contact ESB re street lighting in estate.
· MF to write letter to council re footpath and Caheronaun Road.
· MF to write letter to Moggie Maher re footpath and Caheronaun Road.
· MF to write letter to Ciaran Cannon re footpath and Caheronaun Road.
· Committee to decide on how/when signatures for petition to be collected.
· MF to prepare draft letter to council re taking over estate. To be reviewed once petition signatures collected.
· MF to prepare newsletter to send to all residents. To be reviewed at next committee meeting.
Events June/2008
We have had our first Residents Association Meeting of 2008, during which we had election of new committee members.
The first, and most pressing issue is that of the grass cutting. At the meeting it was discussed in depth, and the following conclusions were drawn:
- It is the residents responsibility to cut the grass regardless of the county council having taken charge, or not (they are currently processing our application).
- The residents association must collect a sum from each House.
- The sum is €100/house. A committee member will visit your house in the coming days to speak to you/collect. Initial collection is planned for the 7th August.
There is an email address: edenparkloughrea@gmail.com
which is accessible to the committee, for your ideas, thoughts, or questions.
topics of discussion have been made:
An estate cleanup
Trees –staking & protection
Gravel removal from road
Nuisance noise
Signage for children at play
Contact with local councillors
Road in Caheronaun
Taking in Charge by County Council
Contact with developer/notification of new committee, etc
Planting of new trees
Setup of management company, is this necessary?
Construction of a Childrens play area
Painting of the fencing facing the open area
Thanks for taking the time to read the update, and please make the effort to attend the next meeting, remember, the care of the estate is all of our responsibility, it increases the value of your property, and is a great way of meeting your neighbours and friends.