The 30 Acre Riverine Community Park has been formally launched, with €16.7 million of PEACEPLUS funding committed for cross-border community park space and infrastructure across Strabane and Lifford.
The ambitious project, which has been in the making for over a decade will incorporate a pavilion building for various cultural and heritage events, outdoor wetland and park space, a family fun space, cross-border pathways and greenways, and a newly constructed pedestrian footbridge that will symbolically connect the space across the River Foyle.
Donegal County Council and Derry City and Strabane District will share the responsibility of its construction, delivery and maintenance.
Pic – Mayor Ruairí Mc Hugh, Derry City and Strabane District Council, Gobhnait Swift, Department of Rural and Community Development and the Gaeltacht, John Kelpie, Chief Executive, Derry City and Strabane District Council, Jack Chambers, Minister for Public Expenditure, Infrastructure, Public Service Reform and Digitalisation, John Smith, Deputy Secretary for Communities Place and Local Government, Gina McIntyre, Chief Executive , Special EU Programmes Body (SEUPB), John G Mc Laughlin, Chief Executive, Donegal County Council, Cathaoirleach Paul Canning, Donegal County Council.
**************************
Release in full-
Press Release
CONNECTING THE COMMUNITIES OF STRABANE AND LIFFORD WITH NEW €16.7m SHARED SPACE – RIVERINE COMMUNITY PARK
The project was officially launched in Lifford on 16th January. Match-funding for the project has been provided by the Department for Communities in Northern Ireland and the Department for Rural and Community Development and the Gaeltacht in Ireland.
Donegal County Council and Derry City and Strabane District Council, who will share the responsibility of its construction, delivery and maintenance.
The Minister for Rural and Community Development and the Gaeltacht, Dara Calleary TD, and Minister of State with Responsibility for Community Development and Charities, Jerry Buttimer TD, welcomed the announcement.
“Riverine is a great example of what the PEACEPLUS programme can achieve when significant levels of funding is combined with dedication, enthusiasm and cross border collaboration between agencies and communities who want to build a better environment and improve quality of life for people and families. I would like to thank the project partners and the Special EU Programmes Body for their work and commitment in making this happen.”
SEUPB CEO Gina McIntyre said: ““The ambitious Riverine Community Park project sets out to bridge historical divides with opportunity, dialogue, and inclusion. It will create a lasting foundation for peace and prosperity rooted in mutual respect and providing positive change for the future.
Discussing this partnership and reflecting on the importance of the new space Donegal County Council’s Cathaoirleach, Paul Canning, said he was looking forward to seeing the project in action: “This is a really exciting project for the people of Lifford and Strabane. As a Council we are strongly focused on the continuous positive strengthening of relations between all sides of our communities, I am looking forward to seeing the work that takes place as the years progress.
“I think this Community Park could be an exemplar for other regions and I would like to commend the SEUPB, Department for Communities and the Department of Rural and Community Development and the Gaeltacht for funding and supporting such an exciting initiative,” he continued.
Mayor of Derry City and Strabane District Council Cllr Ruairí McHugh said the Riverine Community Park Project is a fantastic investment and a vote of confidence in our shared future. He said: “The Riverine Community Park is the direct result of an extraordinary, unwavering collaboration and partnership between Donegal County Council, Derry City and Strabane District and the Riverine Community Forum. This investment of PEACEPLUS funding see the delivery of a safe, welcoming, and neutral shared space for people to come together, irrespective of their background.
“This project is a physical expression of a changing, confident, and interconnected society, and a powerful example of how both Councils are investing in peace and building a true community across the North West. The Riverine Community Park will be a real catalyst for transformation for the communities of Strabane, Lifford, and the entire North West.”
