Successful year in Crossgar

Successful year in Crossgar

16 January 2013

CROSSGAR Community Association is looking forward to the next 12 months with increasing confidence.

Buoyed by the success of a number of schemes in 2012, the organisation aims to focus its efforts over the coming months on advancing plans for a new multi-million community facility in the village.

The redevelopment of the Lislea Drive play area also features heavily in the organisation’s plans, alongside redeveloping a former play area at the Westlands estate to provide a new seating and landscaped area.

Last week’s annual meeting at the village’s community centre was very well attended and a number of new members have joined to help the organisation with its work in 2013.

Association secretary, Mr. Philip Irvine, said the arrival of the Olympic torch in Crossgar last year was a great success as were a number of initiatives in and around the village, including a community clean-up.

He said the organisation also highlighted the need to improve disabled access across Crossgar with a meeting held with the Roads Service to outline areas where improvements were required.

Mr. Irvine said Crossgar’s Christmas lighting programme last December was very well received, with the scheme extended into Killyleagh Street for the first time. He also revealed plans are already in the pipeline to make this year’s festive lights even more exciting.

Looking forward to 2013, Mr. Irvine said the Crossgar group hopes Down Council will next week agree to provide the funding required to carry out an economic appraisal into the proposed new community facility in the village.

“A feasibility study has already been completed which looked at several potential sites, including land adjacent to St. Colmcille’s High School. The possibility of providing a new 3G soccer pitch at Kilmore playing fields has also been suggested,” he continued.

“We also need to look at the funding issue and it is clear that we will require a cocktail of finance to develop a new community facility in Crossgar. It is the one thing local people want to see provided.”

Mr. Irvine said the plans for upgrading the play area at Lislea Drive will also require funding and explained the Crossgar group hopes to lodge an application for financial support with the Down Rural Area Partnership.

He said the Crossgar group also hopes to secure money from the so-called landfill tax credit scheme, with early suggestions that up to £75,000 could be invested at Lislea Drive.

“We did well last year and have two major targets to focus on in 2013. We are delighted more people have joined the group and we look forward to working with them and representatives from Down Council and other statutory agencies in the months ahead,” he added.

At last week’s annual meeting Mr. Paul Teggart was re-elected chairman, with Mr. Noel Lyons serving as his deputy. Mr. Philip Irvine was re-elected secretary, with Nicola Magee returned as treasurer. Her deputy is Eddie Craig.

• The next meeting of the Crossgar Community Association takes place on February 12 at 7.30pm in the village’s community centre.