Mayor of Derry City and Strabane District Council, Councillor Lilian Seenoi Barr and Infrastructure Minister John O’Dowd have officially opened a new green infrastructure improvement project in Park Village.
The project in Learmount Forest includes the construction of a replacement footbridge, path improvements, new seats, picnic benches and better signage.
The pedestrian footbridge known locally as the ‘Footstick’ in Park was entirely washed away during the widespread severe flooding event of August 2017.
Derry City and Strabane District Council secured funding from the COVID Recovery Small Settlements Programme for the construction of a replacement footbridge and improving access to the new bridge from both the Altinure Road and the car park at Learmount Country Park.
Attending the opening event Infrastructure Minister John O’Dowd said: “The Small Settlements Regeneration Programme is a great example of Departments working together to deliver real change in how people live and work in the post pandemic world.
“I am delighted that my department was able to contribute £82,500 to this programme at Learmount Country Park which has brought tangible benefits to our rural communities by supporting initiatives on the ground.
“This is a fantastic project which provides a relaxing green space for local people and visitors to visit and enjoy the natural environment.”
Communities Minister Gordon Lyons said: “This project in Park Village will provide much welcomed green infrastructure for the rural communities in the North West.
“The Small Settlements programme, led by my department, has been an excellent example of three departments working together with local Councils to regenerate towns and villages across Northern Ireland.”
Department of Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs Minister Andrew Muir said: “The Covid Recovery Small Settlements Regeneration Programme has provided three government departments with the opportunity to work with local Councils to fund locally identified initiatives that address the needs of rural communities.
“This new green space adds vitality to the area and allows both locals and visitors to spend and enjoy more time in Learmount Forest which in turn will benefit their health and wellbeing and address issues of loneliness and social isolation.”
Mayor of Derry City and Strabane District Council, Councillor Lilian Seenoi-Barr, welcomed the opening of the project, “I am delighted that this landscape will be open to full use and access for the public,” she said.
“The route existed for over 150 years before the new footbridge was washed away over six years ago and the new bridge and additional infrastructure will offer a welcoming space for locals and visitors to navigate the forest and spend time in the outdoors.
“The funding for this project was multilayered and I would like to commend all the partners who worked together to bring the projects to this key stage.”
This scheme has been made possible through funding from the Council and the COVID Recovery Small Settlements Programme, a collaboration between the Department for Communities (DfC), Department of Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs (DAERA), and the Department for Infrastructure (DfI), working closely with local Councils to identify priority projects for delivery on the ground.
The programme aims to support a range of regeneration and active travel interventions targeting small settlements (with a population of less than 5,000 people) that will attract investors and visitors and create vital and viable villages that meet the needs of local citizens and the surrounding areas.
Out of the close to £2.5m funding secured by Council from the Programme, £1m has been allocated towards three greenspace projects, with the remaining budget committed to a commercial façade painting scheme and associated environmental improvements within eight settlements.
The three Green Infrastructure (GI) projects have been drawn up to meet community requests as identified through the Council’s Green Infrastructure Plan.
Other GI projects in the scheme include Claudy Country Park which provided improvements to the Play Area and safety and access works in the wider Claudy Country Park, and Vaughan’s Holm, Newtownstewart.
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