€8 million EU funding offered for Waterside shared village

by Gráinne Connolly

€8 million of EU has been granted to the Waterside Shared Village in Derry/Londonderry.

The former Clondermott school site will be used to provide sporting facilities for the local community.

A spokesperson for the European Union's PEACE IV programme said, "One of the most visible consequences of the troubles/conflict is the high level of social segregation which can be found right across the region.

"Communities continue to live and socialise separately, with many lacking access to a shared environment where they feel safe enough to meet and learn from one another.

"The absence of these spaces serves only to maintain division and increase social tension.

"In order to help address this €8m worth of funding has been offered, under the European Union’s PEACE IV Programme, to the Waterside Shared Village project to create a multi-faceted shared space facility within the Waterside area of Derry-Londonderry.

"Iconic in nature the facility will encourage cross-community interaction across an interface area."

The former Clondermott school site will transformed into a community hub, which will include: a community/sports hall (which can be transformed into four meeting or training rooms); a special youth zone; a community kitchen; a community office; along with a suite of sports changing rooms.

The area around the community hub will comprise of a 3G pitch; a grass pitch; a cricket training area and tennis courts.

Sinn Féin Councillor Christopher Jackson has welcomed the announcement: 

"This €8m development on the former Clondermott school site will provide much needed sporting facilities, including a GAA/Rugby pitch, soccer pitches, tennis courts and a cricket wickets. 

“After consultation with the local community a community hall was identified as a specific need from groups in Top Of The Hill and in Irish Street.

"I am delighted that this has been taken on board and a community space has been provided within the development along with changing facilities. 

“This is fantastic news for sporting groups that are operating in Top Of The Hill and Irish Street areas who regularly have to travel outside of the area to train or play matches.

"We have seen many examples of how sport can bring people from different backgrounds together.

"This former school site is the perfect location to do exactly that by transforming an area that was once seen as an interface into a truly shared space.

“The announcement is testament to the work that is ongoing at a community level between organisations in Irish Street and Top Of The Hill including hugely successful events including a joint summer scheme, Haunted House and Christmas Wonderland.

"We are now able to move forward and build relationships in a way that was unthinkable only a few years ago. 

“The funding for this large project is European money and I am deeply concerned that future opportunities such as this will be lost due to the impact of Brexit."