Other News In Brief

Work Starts On New Play Park In Brandywell

Construction work has started to develop a new play park in Brandywell, Co L'Derry.

The new play provision will be located on the former Brandywell civic amenity site on the Lone Moor Road.

The scheme is jointly funded from the Social Investment Fund (SIF) which is part of the Executive's Delivering Social Change Framework, and the Council through its Parks Development Programme to the value of £500k.

Crawford Contracting Group Ltd from Ballymena has been appointed the principle contractor for the scheme.

Charles Lamberton, Triax Strategy Manager, said: "This is a culmination of ten years work which has seen significant redevelopment of play parks at Abercorn Road, Bull Park, and Bishops Field and recently the new park in the Fountain Estate.

"Triax has worked with various partners to ensure that the Triax area has adequate play parks and green spaces to enable our children and young people have the freedom and space to live, laugh and enjoy life.

"It is important that Triax thanks Martin McGuinness for all his support over the years in all our work but more importantly for the funding from the Executive Office and Social Investment Fund for the Brandywell Play Park."

New £1.3m Visitor Attraction Launches At Belfast City Hall

A new £1.3 million visitor attraction at Belfast City Hall has officially launched.

The new exhibition brings together artefacts from both traditions and cultures in a narrative agreed by all party leaders that charts the history of Belfast from quiet hamlet to the vibrant, innovative, attractive city it is today.

the self-guided visitor exhibition takes up the ground floor of the City Hall's east wing fulfilling the council's ambition to make the building more inclusive and welcoming. It also contributes to the council's Belfast Agenda putting good relations front and centre of city centre regeneration.

Call For Public Sectors To Unite Behind A Growth Deal For Belfast

East Belfast DUP candidate Gavin Robinson has called for the public bodies and key sectors to unite behind a Growth Deal for Belfast and the surrounding areas.

He said: "Growth deals (often called city deals) have been a significant new development in driving economic growth. They created new far-reaching and long lasting partnerships between councils and the national government. These have unlocked tens of millions of extra investment in public infrastructure and services for years to come. So far nowhere in Northern Ireland has secured such a deal. The DUP is committed to changing that.

"The ground work for Belfast and surrounding areas has been ongoing for some time but after the election we must work in earnest to secure the first ever growth deal here. This step up in the campaign will need all the positive voices it can so I call on the private and community sectors to join the campaign to secure a Growth Deal. A deal of this type would enable us all to move forward together."

(CD/MH)