A Village That Takes Pride in Itself
A walk through Llanmaes in any season reflects admirably on the commitment, care and attention of all the village's residents. Great pride is taken in keeping lawns and hedges trimmed, and garden borders contain a variety of colourful plants and shrubs throughout the year.
Members of the local community have additionally taken on voluntary responsibility for specific areas of the village: planting bulbs and plants at the village entrance and exit, painting the bus shelter and maintaining its adjoining verges and shrubs, and tending the borders, hedges and lawn surrounding the Village and Church Hall, as well as the overall upkeep of the village green.
A project is currently being planned for the younger children of the village to plant a mixture of winter and spring flowering bulbs around the bus shelter and Village Hall grounds — recognising that it is important for children to participate in environmental projects, and giving them the opportunity to take pride in their home village.
The Village Pump Project
There are particular conservation areas in the village that have required careful attention, with residents giving not only their time but also the materials needed for the work. Over the past twelve months, several people have been focusing on a major project centred on the old village pump.
The work has entailed many hours of groundwork alterations: redirecting a culvert and facing it with capped local stone, reseeding adjoining verges, and resiting raised flower and shrub borders. A bench has been sited alongside the pump, making it an ideal spot to rest and a natural meeting point for the many walkers and visitors who pass through the village.
The Stream and Village Green
The next project has already been identified: urgent remedial work on the stream that passes through the village green. The green is the focal point of the village, used for many outdoor events, and the stream that runs through it has been subject to annual maintenance by residents over the years.
In order to overcome weed overgrowth and sludge build-up, to ensure a free flow of water, and to alleviate further erosion, proposals are in place to:
Proposed works
1. Concrete lining — incorporating a concrete lining to the base of the stream.
2. Retaining walls — rectifying slippage along the banking by installing a blockwork or concrete shuttering system, with the preferred option being "rockfaced" blockwork that, following a period of weathering, will be more in keeping with the surroundings.
It would be unrealistic to expect residents to provide the materials required for this project, and so a grant or funding will be sought from appropriate bodies. Identified residents will manage the project, with specialist advice from representatives of the Vale of Glamorgan Borough Council, as with the village pump project before it.
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