Ritchie opens Drumbeg Community Garden

Social Development Minister Margaret Ritchie MLA today opened the new Community Garden in the Drumbeg area of Brownlow.

This environmental improvement project has transformed an area of vacant Housing Executive land overlooking the Drumbeg roundabout into an enclosed garden area with a number of specially commissioned sculptures and interactive lighting.

The £100,000 scheme was funded through the Neighbourhood Renewal Investment Fund and the Re-imaging Communities Programme, led by the Arts Council of Northern Ireland.

Margaret Ritchie said: "This is great news for the people of Drumbeg. This environmental improvement scheme will help develop a sense of community identity and pride and help create a safer and more attractive neighbourhood where residents will want to live and bring up their families. It will regenerate an interface area and I know it will be welcomed by the residents in the area."

The project involved a number of statutory bodies, local community representatives and the Brownlow Neighbourhood Partnership, which identified the need for regenerating the area in its Vision Framework and Action Plan. The local community were actively involved in the design process, while the Housing Executive provided the necessary land for the project. Craigavon Borough Council managed the scheme and will ensure responsibility for its future maintenance, with the assistance of local community representatives.

Margaret Ritchie acknowledged the important role played by all those involved saying: "One of the key factors in successfully tackling deprivation and assisting regeneration is through a partnership approach involving the public, private and community sectors. This project is an excellent example of a number of statutory bodies working with community representatives to deliver real benefits for deprived communities."

Roisín McDonough, Chief Executive of the Arts Council of Northern Ireland and Chair of the Shared Communities Consortium, said: "The Re-imaging Communities Programme is committed to building a shared future for Northern Ireland that is founded on partnership, equality and mutual respect.

"The completion of this artwork in Drumbeg is the result of the community’s joint efforts. Working with two artists from Red Apple Arts, they have created a new communal space which has enriched the environment and provided an opportunity for local people to work together towards one common objective."

The garden project is a further step in improving the landscape of the Drumbeg area which recently benefited from a £40,000 programme of environmental works including the fencing in of open gable walls to prevent graffiti, also funded by DSD.

The Minister also announced today a further funding boost of £105,000 for a programme of works to upgrade the footpaths in the Drumbeg Estate. Work is due to commence within the next few weeks.

Notes to editors:

1. The Neighbourhood Renewal Strategy ‘People and Place’, was published in June 2003 to close the gap between the quality of life for people in the most deprived neighbourhoods and the rest of society. The Neighbourhood Renewal Strategy has four interlinking strategic objectives:

• Community Renewal – to develop confident communities that are able and committed to improving the quality of life in their areas;
• Economic Renewal – to develop economic activity in the most deprived neighbourhoods and connect them to the wider urban economy;
• Social Renewal – to improve social conditions for the people who live in the most deprived neighbourhoods through better co-ordinated public services and the creation of safer environments;
• Physical Renewal – to help create attractive, safe and sustainable environments in the most deprived neighbourhoods.

2. Media enquires to DSD Information Office on 028 9082 9496. Out of hours, please contact the Duty Press Office via pager number 07699 715 440 and your call will be returned.