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Work is to commence to develop a new community hub and sports facility in the Waterside in L'Derry.
The work will take place on the derelict site of the former Clondermot High School.
The Waterside Shared Village project is being led by Derry City and Strabane District Council supported by the European Union's PEACE IV Programme, managed by the Special EU Programmes Body (SEUPB). The council, along with its community partners at Irish Street Youth & Community Association and Hillcrest Community Trust, have been awarded €8,057,292.72 to develop the Waterside Shared Village, which will become an iconic and transformative shared space in the interface area between Irish Street and Top of the Hill.
The project will include a state of the art community building and sports complex and aims to build trust and reconciliation between the two communities by creating a safe place for residents to come together to engage in activities. The facility will offer extensive new shared space including a hall that can be transformed into four meeting or training rooms; a community kitchen; office space and a suite of sports changing rooms. The area around the community hub will comprise a 3G and grass pitch, a cricket training area and tennis courts.
Mayor of Derry City and Strabane District, Councillor Brian Tierney, said: "The Waterside Shared Village project is of major significance in terms of community development in the Waterside area. It will provide a safe, accessible shared space which will enhance greater levels of cross community contact, promoting inclusion through interaction with people from different religious, cultural and ethnic backgrounds.
"I am delighted to see work progressing well on this project, and I look forward to seeing construction now begin on the ground in the coming days. I want to thank all those who have worked so hard to bring the plans to this point."
Match-funding for the project has been provided by the Department for Communities in Northern Ireland and the Department of Rural and Community Development in Ireland.
