Work on a green infrastructure enhancement project at Claudy Country Park has been officially opened by Mayor of Derry City and Strabane District Council, Councillor Lilian Seenoi-Barr and Infrastructure Minister John O’Dowd.
The green projects provide improvements to the Play Area and safety and access works in the wider park and were made possible by funding from the COVID Recovery Small Settlements Programme.
Attending the official opening, Infrastructure Minister John O’Dowd welcomed the completion of the project. He said: “The Small Settlements Regeneration Programme is a great example of Departments working together to deliver real change in how people live and work bringing tangible benefits to our rural communities by supporting initiatives on the ground.
“I am delighted that my department was able to contribute £140,500 to this project at Claudy. This is a fantastic outdoor space where locals and visitors can take some time to relax and enjoy the natural environment.
Communities Minister Gordon Lyons welcomed the project’s official opening.
“This project is an excellent example of three departments working together with local Councils to regenerate towns and villages across Northern Ireland,” he said.
“The Small Settlements programme, led by my department, enables green spaces to be developed for the benefit of the rural community.”
Department of Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs Minister Andrew Muir added: “The Covid Recovery Small Settlements Regeneration Programme has allowed three government departments to work in partnership with local councils to fund locally identified initiatives that address the needs of the rural communities.
“This ‘bottom up’ approach to addressing rural issues will benefit everyone involved.
“Greenspace is vital for community quality of life and this project in Claudy Country Park is welcomed.”
Also speaking at the opening, Mayor Barr said the enhancements will improve community life in the Claudy area.
“High quality greenspaces in rural areas can make a huge contribution to people’s mental and physical health, as well as being a focus for community pride and social interaction.
“We are delighted to be working with the funding Departments to further enhance these popular greenspaces.”
The schemes have been made possible through funding from 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 in funding secured by Council for the programme, £1m has been allocated towards the 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 Green Infrastructure Plan
Other GI projects in the scheme include Learmount Forest, Park Village, which will include path improvements, new seats, picnic benches and better signage and Vaughan’s Holm, Newtownstewart, including new paths, widening of riverside path and additional seats and signage.
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