Chairman keen to restore pride

Chairman keen to restore pride

21 December 2011

THE man at the helm of the new Crossgar Community Association said he wants to see pride restored in the village.

Paul Teggart is a familiar face to many in Crossgar and is pleased the other members of the new community group are as enthusiastic about raising the profile of the village.

One of the new chairman’s key priorities will be meeting Down Council officials to advance proposals outlined in a feasibility study for a major new leisure facility/community centre in the village.

The community group chairman said the feasibility study looked at a number of possible options and locations for new leisure provision, including utilising facilities at St. Colmcille’s High School.

“The study was unveiled some time ago and nothing has been heard about it since. I would like to see progress made on this and the association will be seeking an early meeting with Down Council officials,” explained Mr. Teggart. “No stone will be left unturned in the drive to have this facility provided.”

A 12-strong committee to take forward the work of the new Crossgar group was formed recently, with the chairman delighted it contains a range of people who all have the interests of Crossgar very much at heart.

Mr. Teggart said council officials and local politicians are extremely

supportive of the new group and he is keen

to work closely with them in the future. He also praised the East Down Rural Community Network’s Francis Hughes for helping get the group established.

The chairman is also delighted he was able to secure Christmas lights for the village this year with the help of Damian Brannigan from Down Council, explaining festive lights have also appeared in Killyleagh Street for the first time.

Mr. Teggart said the new community group has a number of ideas which it hopes to advance over the coming months and said he would like to see a work party organised to clean up the village.

Key areas it plans to address include improved disabled access, the withdrawal of the Saturday morning bin collection service, securing a second cash dispensing machine, more litter bins, better street cleaning and improved parking at the doctor’s surgery.

“People are very enthusiastic and the new group wants to hit the ground running. A wooden hoarding at Downpatrick Street has become very dilapidated and one idea I have is that if it was replaced, children from primary schools in the village could get together to design and paint a mural,” the chairman continued.

“One of our members is an enthusiastic gardener and we hope that next summer, with the help of the village’s business community and Down Council, we can organise a hanging basket display to add a touch of colour to the place.”

Mr. Teggart said the calibre of the people who put their hands up to join the new community group provides him with confidence it can help improve Crossgar.

The next meeting of the Crossgar Community Association takes place in the War Memorial Hall in the village on January 19 at 7.30pm.