Latest News Items …

A temporary road surface has now been applied to both sides of lower Main Street. The new lamp posts have been delivered as can be seen in the photograph below.

At each of the entries the setts have been lifted, cleaned and re-laid.

A Stop-Go system has been in operation as work progresses on Main Street past its junction with Downpatrick Street and The Square.

On Saturday 6th September 12 volunteers assembled at 12.30 to prepare for another Saintfield Development Association litter pick in Saintfield. Five teams were formed and after the safety briefing and distribution of litter picking equipment they set off to their allocated areas.

Team AYC Shaneen/Bernie/Charlotte with Councillor Terry Andrews covered Listooder Road / Lislane / Shrewsbury and colloected four bags of litter.

Team Brenda/Alan covered Crossgar Road, Old Grand Jury Road and collected one bag of litter.

Team Murial/Lily/Arthur covered Comber Street / Comber Road / Belfast Road and lifted one bag litter.

Team Lyn covered Fair Green and filled one bag with litter.

Team Denis/Lawrence covered Moyra Drive wasteland to Forge Hill Court / Parish Church Car Park / Downpatrick Street Car Park / Play Park / New Line collecting two bags Litter.

Total for the litter pick = 9 bags

The teams met up at 2nd Saintfield Precbyterian Church Hall at 3.00pm for refreshments.

SDA would like to thank everyone for volunteering on the day, and Rev Graham Connor for the use of the hall.

The Down Your Street litter picking campaign started on 9th June 2014. Up to and including 6th September 2014 the volunteer litter pickers have collected:

47 bags of weeds
250 bags of street dirt
127 bags of litter

That makes a total of 424 bags of waste in three months!

So far the burden of lifting this waste has been on a very small group of volunteers, less than six individuals, and larger numbers on community litter picks such as the one described above.

Please help keep Saintfield clean and tidy by picking up and binning any litter you find in front of your house. If we all do a little bit it will make a big difference!

There has been a slight change of plan for this weekend.  Work was meant to start on the footpaths on Saturday, but it has now been rescheduled for Monday. Work will begin on the left hand side as viewed from the traffic lights i.e. on the same side as the pet shop.

A one-way traffic system is in operation on lower Main Street.  The temporary surface and road markings can be seen in the photograph below.

On the opposite side of the street the road level has been lowered and work has begun to rebuild it.

Kerbing and drainage works will carry on through the week.  Men will work an average minimum of 10hrs per day this week.

On Wednesday 3rd a mini spreader will be on site to infill the section between the newly laid surface and the water mains, this will enable barriers to be adjusted  to provide parking on one side of the street.

On Friday 5th a spreader will again be onsite completing the remainder of the road base.

On Saturday 6th works will commence on the footway.  During this time pedestrians will be diverted onto the new surface and thus around the works.

These footway works are planned for completion on Friday 12th when another layer of black top will be laid on the carriageway before traffic is transferred on to it and works start on the opposite footway.

If anyone has any deliveries larger than normal planned for next week please let the supervisor know and hopefully off loading can be accommodated.

Would you like to take part in the “Active Living in Saintfield Photographic Research Project“?  Details of how to volunteer can be found below:

During the fifth week of the lower Main Street upgrade work has been progressing on the other side of the street.

The large concrete structure in the middle of the road where the workmen are is the water main that was responsible for the large camber in the original road surface.

Work in The Square is complete apart from a few remaining small jobs such as finishing the light fittings and planting the tree.

The footpath alongside 1st Presbyterian Church.

The granite nidger bands are in place at either end of The Square.

The circular seat has been returned and the square hole to the right awaits its tree.  This area is wider than before to provide a safer zone for pedestrians to cross The Square.  It also affords motorists reversing from parking spaces more protection from vehicles quickly turning into The Square from upper Main Street.

There will be another Community Litter Pick on Saturday 6th September.  Everyone is welcome to come along and help clean up our village!

Dayglo jackets, protective gloves and litter pick tools will be provided.

Date: Saturday 6th September
Time: 1:00 pm to 3:00 pm
Meeting point: Car Park in front of 2nd Saintfield Presbyterian Church.

Refreshments will be provided at the end of the Litter Pick.