Ribbon cut at £800k Castlewellan community centre

Ribbon cut at £800k Castlewellan community centre

29 January 2020

THE new £800,000 Castlewellan Community Centre was officially opened last Friday.

The opening was performed by Newry, Mourne and Down Council vice-chairman Terry Andrews and Dr Mark Browne, from the Executive Office.

The new centre was delivered by the council with funding from the Social Investment Fund (SIF).

The project involved refurbishment and extension of the existing community centre to create two halls, a full-time creche room, office and toilet facilities.

This new, modern centre will enable a wide range of community services to be delivered to meet the needs and expectations of everyone in the Castlewellan community and surrounding area, and most importantly, will contribute to improvements in employability skills and health and wellbeing. 

Among those attending the opening were local councillors, representatives from the Social Investment Fund team and community representatives.

Mr Andrews said one of the douncil’s key aims was to provide high quality community facilities and explore partnership opportunities to ensure sustainability of community services.

He continued: “It also aims to build community capacity to empower local people to effect change within their communities.

“This beautiful state of the art building is an excellent example of partnership working between statutory and voluntary groups.”

Dr Browne, Director of Strategic Policy, Equality and Good Relations for the Executive Office, said: ”SIF funding of around £800,000 was allocated to this facility to allow for the renovation and regeneration of this dilapidated school building.

“You can see how this wonderful new upgrade and all these activities that are available will greatly improve the lives of those in the local community and surrounding areas.

“This fits firmly within the vision of the Social Investment Fund, which was established to deliver social change — to make life better for people by reducing poverty and unemployment and addressing physical dereliction.”

Mr Felix Blaney, chairman of Castlewellan Community Partnership, described the opening as the beginning of a new era for the community of Castlewellan.

“We now have excellent facilities on our doorstep that will be a benefit to all,” he said. “It was challenging bringing this project to a close and although I speak to you today as the chair of Castlewellan Community Partnership, I must pay tribute to all the volunteers of the Partnership who devoted a lot of time and effort to help bring this exciting project to a close and to the Executive Office for providing the funding and the Council for managing the project through the construction.”