Eco-Centre Project Gets 'Green Light'

A rural project that will incorporate a cultural, horticultural, heritage and activity centre and provide a social/educational space to support the community garden project has been granted funding.

The NI Social Development Minister Nelson McCausland has announced Neighbourhood Renewal funding of over £100,000 for Mullaghmore and Castleview Community Association (MACCA) in Omagh.

Mr McCausland (pictured) said: "This is good news for people in Omagh. This project will provide real and significant benefits to residents in the Neighbourhood Renewal Area.

"It will contribute to the physical, economic and social renewal of this part of Omagh by bringing vacant land back into beneficial use.

"Importantly, it will provide a solid base for the social economy project which will provide a level of sustainability for MACCA that will allow the group to provide more services, training and employment opportunities for residents of the Omagh Neighbourhood Renewal Area."

The aim of the project is to promote opportunities for personal development, confidence building, the development of a new business, social inclusion and encourage residents to become more involved in their local community.

The environmental training will raise awareness and will lead to the recruitment of more volunteers. The project will further develop planned ground work on the garden site and existing garden and allotment space in order to make it accessible to those with physical disabilities and older people.

£101,785 has been allocated to this project. This funding will be used to engage a design team to take forward and manage the process to deliver the MACCA Eco Centre Project.

(BMcC)