The County L'Derry village of Ballyronan has been upgraded with a new community garden.

Mid Ulster Rural Development Partnership delivered the renewal works as part of a £37,000 investment from the EU Rural Development 'LEADER' Programme.

Accessible via Ballyronan Wood walk, the new garden includes improved access, new gates and fencing, new kerbing and resurfacing, and the installation of seating, raised beds, planting and a chalkboard.

Speaking at the official opening, Chair of Mid Ulster District Council, Councillor Martin Kearney said: "Ballyronan is the latest village to benefit from 37 village renewal projects across the district, supported by the Council and Mid Ulster Rural Development Partnership (Local Action Group).

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"The new community garden is a great outdoor space for the local community to enjoy. Accessible via the Woodland walk at Ballyronan Marina, it will enhance the leisure and recreational offering in the area, and I look forward to seeing it being put to good use."

Chair of Mid Ulster Rural Development Partnership, Conor Corr, added: "Over the course of this current Rural Development Programme, we will see an investment of over £2.15m in funding directed towards rural towns and villages from across the length and breadth of the district to make them better places to live and work in. This is what village renewal is about – local people making decisions on the actions they believe will be of greatest benefit to the community.

"The new community garden here in Ballyronan is a fine example of village renewal in action and Mid Ulster Rural Development Partnership is proud to be associated with this project. It is one example of how the Rural Development Programme is working to leave a lasting legacy within our rural areas and this facility will no doubt serve the local community well for many years to come."

This project is part funded under Priority 6 (LEADER) of the Northern Ireland Rural Development Programme 2014-2020 by the Department of Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs and the European Union, with the Council's investment totalling £716K over four years.

(CM/MH)