Clean-up of vast illegal dump in Ballyvolane to start within a week
The long-awaited clean-up of a large illegal dump next to a halting site in Cork city will start within a week, city officials have insisted.
They moved to reassure city councillors last night that work to remove vast amounts of rubbish from the council-owned Ellis’s Yard in Ballyvolane is imminent.
The reassurance followed questions from Worker’s Party councillor Ted Tynan about the tender for the clean-up and securing of the site, next to Spring Lane halting site.
The start date was delayed last week after a key contractor withdrew from the project at the last minute. It is not clear why the contractor withdrew. However, a replacement contractor is now in place and it is understood that everything is in place for the work to start.
It follows fresh calls yesterday for a start date from locals who live overlooking the site. Dozens of residents staged a protest outside City Hall late last month demanding action to clean the site, which has been plagued by illegal dumping for almost two decades.
Last night, the council’s director of housing, Brian Geaney, who is overseeing the clean-up operation, told Mr Tynan the council is finalising contract terms for the specialist regulated works and he expects the works “to commence within the next seven days”.
The council has staged several large and expensive environmental clean-ups of the site over the years, but the problem has persisted.
Fires have broken out on the site, leading to dozens of fire brigade calls outs in recent years.
The Irish Examiner highlighted the scale of the latest dumping problem last summer but it has taken until now for the clean-up to be funded and arranged.
Officials plan to remove the rubbish and install security fencing and a network of CCTV cameras in a bid to deter future illegal dumping.
In the meantime, officials are working on a long-term strategy that could see some form of development of the Ellis’s Yard site for community gain. It is understood talks are at an advanced stage and proposals could come before councillors for discussion within months.
A security operation will be in place for the duration of the works and gardaí will be on standby if required.
