Minister Attwood visited a refurbished community house known as the Darby and Joan Club which was brought back into use with a £21,000 programme of works funded by his department.
The previously vacant building was enhanced with the provision of a new kitchen, new décor, furniture and kitchen equipment, disabled toilet facilities and some external work.
The community house has become a catalyst for re-energising the local community. A newly formed umbrella community group; The North West Portadown Network, has been established to manage the facility and a programme of activities has been drawn up for people of all ages.
The Minister also visited a state of the art multi use games area at Churchill Park. The new facility, which was constructed at a cost of £107,000, provides a place for local young people to participate in sports activities. The land for the scheme was provided by the Northern Ireland Housing Executive while the project was managed by Craigavon Borough Council who will take responsibility for its future upkeep and maintenance with the involvement and assistance of the local community.
Alex Attwood said: “These projects will contribute to the regeneration of this area. They provide a local focus and venue for delivering a wide range of activities and will help improve the quality of life, improve health, address social exclusion and reduce crime levels in Portadown.
“One of the key success factors in bringing about regeneration is working through partnerships involving the public, private and community sectors. I would like to congratulate the Portadown Neighbourhood Renewal Partnership Board for the role which they have played in this regard and the local community representatives who have worked to bring about these projects.
“There is a critical point about Neighbourhood Renewal. It is the Northern Ireland Government’s flagship programme for tackling disadvantage and easing alienation. Those in need must not carry the burden of budget reductions. Any loss in Neighbourhood Renewal could result in that outcome. The argument for Neighbourhood Renewal must prevail – we must make the case and make it to all Ministers in the Executive.”
The Minister also announced his Department is to fund a sports development programme in the three Craigavon Neighbourhood Renewal Areas.
The £50,000 will be provided to Craigavon Borough Council for the programme of activities which will utilise all of the multi use games areas provided in the Craigavon area through Neighbourhood Renewal.
The Minister concluded: “To date, the Department for Social Development has invested just over £1million on a range of projects in the Portadown Neighbourhood Renewal Area. This clearly demonstrates my commitment to tackling disadvantage and improving the quality of life for all the residents of the Neighbourhood Renewal Area. ”
Notes to editors:
- The Neighbourhood Renewal Strategy 'People and Place' which was published in June 2003, sets out Government’s proposals for closing 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. - Churchill Park multi use games area was provided as a part of a programme involving the construction of three such schemes in the Craigavon Neighbourhood Renewal Areas at a total cost of £335,730.00. The Darby and Joan Club refurbishment received £21,000.
- The Darby and Joan community house and Churchill Park multi use games area projects were managed by Craigavon Borough and the Northern Ireland Housing Executive (NIHE). The NIHE also provided the land for the two projects.
- Media enquiries to DSD Information Office on 028 9082 9078. Out of office hours please contact the Duty Press Officer via pager number 07699 715 440 and your call will be returned.
