Community Centre Progress
Agriculture Minister Edwin Poots MLA Visits Saintfield Community Centre
This follows a grant of just over £1200 from the County Down Rural Community Network (CDRCN) on behalf of the Department of Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs (DAERA).
The grant was successfully applied for by Lawrence Murphy, a trustee of the community centre and chair of the SDA Green Team. The grant was awarded from the Rural Micro Capital Grant Scheme 2021/22 and is to fund the purchase and installation of 45 sleepers for three raised beds in the proposed community garden, due to be constructed within the community centre grounds.
Barbara Graham, Chair of the Saintfield Community Trust which manages the Community Centre, conducted the minister around the complex and explained the development and plans for the centre.
The photograph shows the minister (left) with Barbara Graham and Lawrence Murphy.
Saintfield Community Centre Is Up And Running!
Newry, Mourne and Down District Council Chairperson, Councillor Charlie Casey, officially opened the new £1.4 million Saintfield Community Centre on Thursday 26 June at a ceremony attended by MLAs, councillors and community representatives.
The Saintfield Community Centre has been designed as a shared neutral space with a range of facilities to suit local sports clubs and organisations or individuals who need a space to interact with the local community. The latest in building technology has been used to create a carbon neutral building. Among the systems employed are heating panels on the roof, heat pumps and rain-water catchment to further reduce the running costs.
The Centre is managed by volunteers who formed the Saintfield Community Trust, a limited company with charitable status. Local groups are invited to use the centre to help make it a success. Please come and view the facilities by arrangement – phone Anna on 07568 268986.
The Centre needs your support. If you are able to spare a few hours or days in the month to help the Trust run the Centre, please email: reception.saintfieldcc@gmail.com
Saintfield Summer Fair in Saintfield Community Centre
The final event of the Discover Saintfield Community programme took place on Sunday 26th May in the newly completed Saintfield Community Centre. The first four events (the three heritage talks and the guided tour of Saintfield) went according to this plan and were hugely successful – the numbers attending exceeding all our expectations and two further heritage events being planned as a result.
The fifth event, a Community Fair, was organised by Saintfield Development Association and Saintfield Community Trust, with help from Saintfield Traders and community groups. There were five zones at the Fair – a Sports Zone, organised by St Mochai’s GAC, Saintfield United FC and Saintfield Cricket Club, a Music Zone organised by Fred King with star attraction Peter Corry, a Market Zone organised by John and Moira George of Barn Owl, a Children’s Zone organised by Catherine Downey of St Mary’s Primary School and a Life Zone, organised by Barbara Graham.
Around 2,000 people shared in the fun of the Fair while seeing around the new community centre facilities – an indoor artificial grass training space, a large hall, a studio, a kitchen and a small meeting room. Local traders had stalls to show their wares and community groups also engaged with the people attending. There was fun for young people, including face painting, kite making and crazy golf.
The objectives of Discover Saintfield Community were to increase a feeling of pride in the Saintfield area and encourage more engagement in community activities. The Fair was the grand finale, with the focus on signing up new volunteers. Janice McHenry and her team succeeded in signing up over 40 new volunteers. This is exactly what the stalwarts of Saintfield Development Association and Saintfield Community Trust need, to share the burden of what they are doing for the wider Saintfield community.
Martyn Todd, Chair of SDA and a Trustee of SCT said, “I could not stop myself grinning with pleasure seeing all the families and children enjoying the day and, more importantly, seeing them feeling good about their community. Thanks to all those who helped organise this very successful event – the stalls, music, the sports exhibitions and kids’ fun, all safely marshalled by volunteers.”
Saintfield Community Fair – Sunday 26th May
On Sunday 26th May, Saintfield Community Trust (SCT) will be holding Saintfield Community Fair in the new Saintfield Community Centre on Belfast Road. Details of the FREE event to which everyone is invited are as follows:
You can download a PDF version of the flyer HERE.
PLEASE NOTE:
Due to the number of activities scheduled to take place in the grounds of the facility during the fair, parking within the grounds will be restricted to disabled badge holders only.
Parking is available at:
- Saintfield High School
- Windmill Business Park
- Downpatrick Street car park
- Church of Mary, Mother of the Church on Crossgar Road.
Parking on the road verges adjoining the community centre may constitute a traffic hazard and is not recommended.
Work Begins On Saintfield Community Centre
With all of the necessary funding now in place construction work has started on Saintfield Community Centre. A letter of offer of £500,000 has been received from the Mourne, Gullion and Lecale Local Action Group which is responsible for delivery of Priority 6 of the Rural Development Programme. The formal announcement of the funding was made at a special event at the Belfast Road site of the community centre on Friday 10th August. Newry, Mourne and Down District Council will provide £800,000 towards the cost of the conversion of the former B.J. Caraher site into Saintfield Community Centre. The work is expected to be completed by early 2019.
Among those at the formal announcement were Cllr Roisin Mulgrew (Chairperson of
the Mourne, Gullion and Lecale Local Action Group), and Cllr Mark Murnin
(Chairperson of Newry, Mourne and Down District Council).
Some of the members of Saintfield Development Association, Saintfield United Football Club,
St Mochai’s GAC and Saintfield Community Trust who attended the launch of Saintfield Community Centre.
Martyn Todd (second from left in photo above), Chair of Saintfield Development Association, said, “It is fantastic that everybody in the Saintfield area will have a new shared space for indoor sports and community activities. We are delighted that funding from the Rural Development Programme and Peace IV were added to the money committed by Newry, Mourne and Down Council to make this happen. Over the years of the project, many different people, council officials, councillors and organisations have contributed to the project. Without their input and support we would not be where we are today, with the reality of a community centre just a few months away. I hope this long-awaited amenity will bring new heart to our village where people of all ages, backgrounds and interests can interact and enjoy a variety of activities in a shared space.”
Work begins by removing the old office block which will
maximise the space available for the indoor 3G pitch.
Ganson UK has been selected by the Council to carry out the conversion. Site manager Cathal
McClelland (second from right) and colleagues enjoy a break during the photo shoot.
The background to the community centre project can be found HERE.
WE NEED YOUR VOTE TO HELP THE CHILDREN OF SAINTFIELD!
The Saintfield Development Association has submitted an application to the Aviva Community Fund for a grant to construct an adventure playground adjacent to the proposed Saintfield Community Centre.
The only projects which Aviva will consider are those which attract the most votes from YOU – the public.
To view and vote for the Saintfield submission click the image below!
Please vote now!
Saintfield Development Association Meeting – 14th February
Saintfield Development Association
Notice of General Meeting
Please note that the date of the next SDA general meeting has been moved from Monday 6th February to 7.30pm on Tuesday 14th February.
The main topic for discussion will be the announcement of the result of the tender for the proposed Saintfield community centre and to plan the way forward.
SDA members and the public are encouraged to attend this important meeting. Your views are important.
The venue is The Rowallane Hub, 35 Main Street, Saintfield.
Significant Step Forward For Saintfield Community Centre
Another significant step forward for the Saintfield community centre. The Council has confirmed that even if no private sector partner is found, they will use the £1.5m ring-fenced for this project to start work in April 2017. The Expression of Interest advertisement below appeared in the Belfast Telegraph on Friday 29th April 2016.
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SDA Members Meet NMD Officers At Community Centre Site
Members of Saintfield Development Association today met the Newry, Mourne and Down Council officers who are responsible for taking the Saintfield Community Centre project forward. The Council has given a firm undertaking that work will start to convert the large warehouse buildings on the 29 Belfast Road site to a community centre in April 2017.
A private sector partner is being sought to invest in and develop the site in partnership with the Council and the Saintfield community. The ambition of SDA and NMD is that there would be a large indoor training area and extensive fitness suite in the buildings on either side of the proposed community centre building.
Community Centre Progress Blog
This blog will keep you up-to-date with progress on Saintfield’s community centre, so watch this space!
Copyright 2019 Discover Saintfield
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