Success for Merville in 2016 Best Kept Awards

The annual awards ceremony, which took place on October 18 at Lough Neagh Discovery Centre, recognises towns, villages, cities and housing areas across Northern Ireland who have demonstrated a commitment to bettering their surroundings, be it through attractive foliage, creative features or simply maintaining a clean and tidy environment.

David Small, CEO, NIEA said: “It is wonderful to see so many of our communities participating in the Best Kept Towns Awards. I would like to congratulate all of the winners and to acknowledge the hard work undertaken by the individual committees across the province. I would also like to extend a special word of thanks to all the judges and to the Northern Ireland Amenity Council (NIAC) for their hard work throughout the year.”

Doreen Muskett MBE, President, NIAC said: “Entries for 2016 were of a high standard and judges had great difficulty in selecting the winners. I would like to congratulate not only everyone who took home a ‘Best Kept’ accolade at this year’s ceremony, but also everyone who entered. These awards promote a healthy, creative living environment and it is fantastic to see so many areas putting the effort into bettering their own.”

Welcoming the award, Cllr Thomas Hogg said: “I am delighted to learn of this well-earned award and pay tribute to the Merville Residents’ Association and their volunteers who put in a tremendous effort to maintain the area. Merville Garden Village is the only designated conservation area in Newtownabbey and is a place of incredible natural beauty and tranquillity.”

The DUP representative added: “Residents must be commended on their commitment to maintaining this unique character. Praise should also go to staff of Antrim and Newtownabbey Borough Council and Ulster Garden Villages for their hard work throughout the year.”