Raising of the Green Flag at the Palace Grounds

Thu, 25 Nov 2021 09:58:00 GMT

Raising of the Green Flag at the Palace Grounds

Galway County Council Cathaoirleach Peter Keaveney, raises the Green Flag for the Palace Grounds in Tuam.

The 2021 Green Flag Awards were announced last week, by An Taisce Environmental Education Unit, acknowledging Ireland’s best public parks and gardens, which included an Award for our very own Palace Grounds in Tuam.

The Palace Grounds is a vital part of the town’s living history, a place where the people of Tuam connect with nature. The park is a safe home for nature, a climate-proofed place enabling healthy living, and the sharing of memories and stories. The Palace Grounds is an oasis for well-being and is enjoyed by a very broad spectrum of visitors from a regional spread. It is often used as physical activity and recreational hub to encourage the participation of people in sport, physical activity and active living.

The Cathaoirleach of Galway County Council, Councillor Peter Keaveney raised the Green Flag on Wednesday, the 24^th of November 2021, and said “It is a great achievement for Galway Co. Council to have won such a prestigious award for the Palace Grounds. A lot of hard work went into achieving this prestigious title, the first such award received for a public park by Galway County Council.  Providing a space where people can safely enjoy the outdoors has been very important this year and I want to take the opportunity to congratulate the staff of  Galway County Council, Tuam Tidy Towns and the local volunteer groups involved with this project on such a  wonderful achievement.”

The International Green Flag Award Scheme is the mark of a quality park or green space and is recognised throughout the world. It is only awarded for exceeding tough environmental standards in green space management and excellence of visitor attractions

Operated within the Republic of Ireland by An Taisce Environmental Education Unit, the Green Flag Awards are judged every year by a peer jury of green space experts, who volunteer their time to visit applicant sites and assess them against eight strict criteria, including horticultural standards, cleanliness, sustainability, and community involvement.

This year participating countries, alongside the Republic of Ireland, included Australia, Belgium, Finland, France, Germany, Mexico, The Netherlands, New Zealand, Portugal, Spain, Sweden, Turkey, United Arab Emirates, United Kingdom, and the United States of America.

 

For further general information in relation to the Awards, visit:

www.greenflagaward.org