Community centre gets £500k boost as building work begins

Community centre gets £500k boost as building work begins

15 August 2018

PLANS for the new Saintfield Community Centre took a major step forward this week with confirmation of a £500,000 funding boost.

Construction is officially underway at the former industrial warehouse site on the Belfast Road and the £1.3m community and indoor sports facility due for completion in the new year.

At Friday’s project launch on the site of the new complex, Newry Mourne and Down Council received the letter of offer for the £500,000 from Mourne, Gullion and Lecale Rural Development Partnership.

There are three buildings at the Belfast Road complex, the largest of which will house an indoor synthetic pitch, changing facilities and toilets.

One of the other buildings will house a main hall, studio area, meeting room, toilets and a large entrance area with glazing to provide attractive views over the neighbouring mill pond and surrounding area. The remaining space in this building is expected to be developed at a later date.

Saintfield Development Association have been a main driver behind the new facility. Its chairman, Martyn Todd, said: “It is fantastic that everybody in the Saintfield area will have a new shared space for indoor sports and community activities. We are delighted that funding from the Rural Development Programme and Peace IV was added to the money committed by Newry, Mourne and Down Council to make this happen.

“Over the years of the project, many different people, council officials, councillors and organisations have contributed to the project. Without their input and support we would not be where we are today, with the reality of a community centre just a few months away.

“I hope this long-awaited amenity will bring new heart to our village where people of all ages, backgrounds and interests can interact and enjoy a variety of interests in a shared space.”

Newry, Mourne and Down District Council is providing £800,000 towards the project.

Council chairman Mark Murnin said: “As chairman of the council I am delighted to formally launch the development of this new community centre and indoor 3G pitch.  

“We hope that the scheme will be complete in the early part of 2019 when the council will enter in a facility management agreement with Saintfield Development Association to manage the facility on the council’s behalf. 

“One of the council’s key aims is to provide high quality community facilities and to explore partnership opportunities in joint provision to ensure the sustainability of community services. We are also keen to build community capacity to empower local people to effect change within their communities. This project is an excellent example of partnership working between statutory and voluntary groups and the empowerment of local people in developing much needed provision for community facilities.”

The chairman of the Mourne, Gullion and Lecale Rural Development Partnership, Cllr Roisin Mulgrew, said the Partnership was delighted to provide the £500,000 grant assistance.

“The application received by the council was of a particularly high standard and I look forward to seeing the project come to fruition over the coming months,” she said.

The Saintfield Community Centre project was first initiated in June 2007, when Gerry Lowe, chairman of Saintfield Town Regeneration Committee, since renamed as Saintfield Development Association, led a presentation to the former Down District Council.

A feasibility study was proposed by William Dick, a DUP councillor at the time, and seconded by Cllr Billy Walker. Both were at Friday’s project launch.

“I am just delighted we have now got to this stage,” Mr Dick said. “As chairman of the Board of Governors at Saintfield High School we are also working very closely with this project as one of the big users.”

Cllr Billy Walker said: “As a councillor for the Rowallane area I was privileged and honoured to work alongside council officials, Saintfield Development Association and others to help make this project a reality. I am now looking forward to it’s official opening.”