PEOPLE who have been complaining about the dilapidated state of Enniskillen’s plant boxes will be shocked to learn that they are brand new.
Many have been commenting on social media as to how worn out the boxes are looking and that they need replacing with new ones.
At first glance, the boxes do give the look of having suffered some weather damage with dark patches on them giving the impression of damp spots forming.
However, Cllr Eddie Roofe states that the boxes are actually newly-installed and has been assured the corten steel material used to make them will evolve into a bright orange colour within three months.
“In the right circumstances, the corten steel boxes would look quite well,” he said.
“But what we have so far is not uniform bright orange – as it should be – as the corten steel is not fully developed.
“As a result, it doesn’t look as well as it should.
“I’ve already spoken to Council staff about this and they’ve assured me that over the next six to 12 weeks, the corten steel will mature to be uniform orange and look more like they should.
“It is a case of just waiting for the material to naturally evolve but my concern is that process could have taken place before the boxes were installed.
“There’s no reason why we couldn’t have waited another six to 12 weeks for the boxes to be installed and installed as we envisaged them to look.
“I think it’s been poor PR in terms of how it’s been implemented. If those boxes had been fully and properly treated and matured and then been installed, we would be having another conversation.
“But because they were not, the public have now already made their minds up about them as they do look as if they’ve been affected by wet weather.
“When this was first brought to my attention, after I was elected, because of the black patches on the boxes, I had genuinely thought someone had set them alight or something else had damaged them.
“I asked ‘when are these being replaced’ only to be told that this was the way they were going to stay.
“Hopefully we’ll see the corten steel mature and I’ll be checking back in eight to 12 weeks to see if they have matured the way they should.”
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