THE Mayor of Derry City and Strabane District, Councillor Brian Tiereny has welcomed the start of work on the new Galliagh Community Centre.
Mayor Tierney was on hand on Thursday when the first sod for the centre was cut.
Said Cllr Tierney: “I was delighted to turn the first sod on the site at the new Galliagh Community Centre yesterday.
“Living in the local area I’m all too aware of the demand for modern community space for the delivery of essential services.
“Thanks to the Minister for Communities for her continued support.”
Funding for the new centre has been approved by the Department for Communities.
The project will cost £1.5 million and £0.7 million has been confirmed by the department for the project which will offer state of the art new facilities and a shared space for the local community.
Council and other funders have pledged the remaining balance of funds for the facility.
It is the second project to benefit from departmental funding, with £1 million pledged to deliver a new £2.4 million community centre in the neighbouring Shantallow area.
£1.4m has already been channelled into the project by Council and other funders.
Said Mayor Tierney: “Council is committed to providing inclusive and welcoming shared spaces that are fit for purpose and can meet the needs of a wide range of user groups in these community areas.
“The new centres will become vibrant and busy community hubs, facilitating new activities and the delivery of vital services within Shantallow and Galliagh.
“There are great ambitions for the transformation of the city’s community areas set out in the Local Community Plans which are currently being finalised, and we need the infrastructure and facilities in place to realise these aspirations.”
The Community Centre in Galliagh will be based at Fairview Road and will provide single story accommodation over 860 sq ft.
The new facility is just one of a number of community projects that form part of the Council’s wider capital investment programme aimed at transforming local communities and being delivered as part of the Strategic Growth Plan for Derry and Strabane.
The projects being taken forward were identified as part of a review of community centre provision right across the City and District.
