PLANS for the development of a new Drumahoe District Park have been given a welcome boost by the Big Lottery’s Space & Place Programme with the announcement that the project is to receive funding of £1,000,000.
The project is one of three Flagship projects across Northern Ireland receiving grants in the latest tranche of the Space & Place programme.
The project will see the development of a new park on the site of the old Faughan Valley School and seeks to reclaim and transform the existing derelict space for the benefit of local communities.
Derry City & Strabane District Council in partnership with Drumahoe Community Association, Waterside Neighbourhood Partnership, Tullyally Community Partnership, WELB and Drumahoe Primary School collaborated on plans for the new park which can now be realised following their successful application for funding from Space & Place.
Using a five element approach to the development of the space, new facilities will include a play environment, play garden and meeting space as well as a synthetic pitch and changing facilities.
It will also feature increased access to Drumahoe pitches and a biodiversity element with a wildflower meadow and walking trail along the River Faughan.
The Space & Place programme is a £15million Big Lottery funded capital grants programme which seeks to connect more people and communities together by making use of underused or difficult space. The programme is delivered by a consortium headed up by the Community Foundation for Northern Ireland.
The consortium also includes Groundwork NI, the Rural Community Network, the Public Health Agency, the Northern Ireland Housing Executive and the Northern Ireland Environmental Link.
Speaking about the grant award, the Mayor of Derry City and Strabane District Council, Cllr Elisha McCallion said: “This is fantastic news for Derry City and the local community of Drumahoe who are in need of leisure and play provision.
“It will enable the development of a new district wide park for the entire city and will complement the regeneration of Councils through the Parks Development Programme.”
Cllr McCallion added: “Key to the success in securing this funding has been the successful partnership working between the Council and key stakeholders.
“This investment is significant and a major boost to city and waterside who will benefit greatly from new play provision and facilities.
“These new facilities will help promote social interaction and physical activity for children and young people across the city and region,” she added.
Michael Hughes Space & Place Co-Ordinator, said: “The application process for these flagship grants was highly competitive and we recognise that all the groups who applied put a huge amount of work into their applications to the programme.
“We know from our experience of previous Space & Place awards, the massively positive difference that these grants can make in communities.
“The consortium wishes Derry City and Strabane District Council and their partners well with their project and hope it will make a truly great impact in the local community”.
Frank Hewitt, the Big Lottery Fund’s NI Chair said: “We understand how important it is for people to have good quality space that allows them to do the things that are important to them.
“We hope that the projects getting funding today will make a real difference to the people and communities they live in.”
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