People power ensures an Omagh roundabout is well looked after

PEOPLE living in the Coolnagard area on the outskirts of Omagh are showing the way by the manner in which they are maintaining the roundabout at the entrance to their homes.

Earlier this year, the local residents’ committee teamed up with the Department for Infrastructure (DfI) to improve the roundabout on the Kevlin Road. Their efforts have been praised as an example the department would like to see repeated elsewhere in the town. The DfI sponsors a scheme for privately funded planting of roundabouts, road verges, and car parks, rather than direct sponsorship of advertising signage.

Interested businesses can find a roundabout to sponsor through a scheme called ‘Privately Funded Planting’.

This allows companies to contribute to the maintenance and beautification of these public spaces in exchange for recognition.

Omagh has five major roundabouts: Coolnagard, the Crevenagh Road, Strathroy Link Road, the junction with the Hospital Road and Donaghanie Road, and at the Swinging Bars in Campsie.

Local manufactuing firm Terex continues to maintain the Crevenagh Road and Derry Road roundabouts, while discussions are ongoing with a potential sponsor for the Strathroy Link Road roundabout.

The junction at Donaghanie and Arvalee Roads, however, was concreted over last year. The DfI said this was due to the difficulty of safely maintaining grass around signage at smaller roundabouts.

Community groups can also receive assistance and Coolnagard Community Association (CCA) recently began grass maintenance at the Kevlin Road roundabout.

Joe Lindsay of the CCA said the decision to take on maintenance at Kevlin Road has boosted local pride. He thanked FOCUS and Fermanagh and Omagh Council for their support.

“We received funding and purchased a new lawnmower, strimmer and other equipment,” he explained.

“Tim Shiels from Omagh Community Church, officials from Fermanagh and Omagh District Council and others have also given us great assistance.

“The grass-cutting started in May and people really appreciate it. The roundabout was a little unsightly before with long grass and weeds, but now it’s maintained, and its new look really enhances the entrance to Coolnagard.

“Our hope is to keep improving the area over the next few years.”

There are also plans to maintain a second roundabout within the Coolnagard development, further enhancing one of Omagh’s largest population centres.

Finance remains a major hurdle.

Daniel Healy, divisional roads manager with the Western Division of the DfI, said the Department has no resources to provide or maintain planting at roundabouts.

Its priority remains road safety by keeping signage and sight splays clear of obstruction, and there are no plans to concrete over further roundabouts in the Omagh area.

However, he welcomed the community’s initiative in Coolnagard.

“The Department will respond positively to any potential sponsorship opportunity in respect of grass cutting at roundabout locations within the district,” he said.

“The Department does not have the resources to cut grass for aesthetic reasons only.”

Fermanagh and Omagh District Council has urged the Department to stop concreting roundabouts, highlighting the negative environmental and biodiversity impacts.

“We would ask the Department to reconsider the value of planting schemes at these locations, many of which provide a ‘first welcome’ to visitors to the district,” a spokesperson said.