Council backs better support and development for Currynierin and Tullyally

They want to see the areas utilised better for the local community, prioritising recreation and sport and exploring funding opportunities.

The motion was brought forward by DUP Alderman Hilary McClintock who said: “Tullyally housing estate is now 50 years old. The houses were originally built on land that was owned by the Stevenson family and part of the land was gifted by Mrs Stevenson for use by the local community.

“This is next to the council owned community centre and over the years the land has been used as a football pitch and a general run around area. Council have cut grass and facilitated minor maintenance on the site and this has always been on a piecemeal, reactive basis.

“The community association has aspirations for the better use of this land for community use, for recreational purposes to better meet the needs of the local residents."

Ald. McClintock said the 'community needs a bit of assistance to progress a plan for their green space'

“The community are willing to take on the challenge. To facilitate and to start the process they need a masterplan to allow them to pursue various funding opportunities. This is the missing link between the report and being able to take a step further forward.

"The people of Tullyally have watched and applauded as many other areas have progressed and gone from strength to strength but they see themselves as a forgotten and neglected estate and it has at times led to tremendous apathy in the area.

“Now they have a vibrant new community association. They have a fantastic worker, albeit she is not even full time who has no other backup based in the centre. They need a helping hand from council.

“This isn’t a request for a master plan that will put a massive financial burden on council. The building is there and whilst it is understaffed and under resourced, the area needs a plan particularly for the outside space which is under utilised and only receives reactive assistance."

Supporting the motion Sinn Fein Councillor Christopher Jackson proposed an amendment to include the council owned open space at Currynierin.

He added: “The area surrounding Tullyally is in bad need of investment and support and it certainly could be utilised much better.

“Plans to prioritise recreation and sport would be very welcome to the residents of Ivy Mead and Tullyally who have been raising issues around this site for quite some time.

"Developing a master plan is only one element of it, albeit a very important step. Equally important is identifying funding opportunities.

“Alderman McClintock referenced the links between Currynierin and Tullyally and I think it is important that we reinforce that, not to become a barrier to any potential funding but to recognise there is a massive need right across the entire area.

“As someone who has played a part in the development of a master plan for the Currynierin space it is disappointing to learn that it hasn’t been realised and that is because the funding hasn’t been realised despite a lot of work from council to work with the community to develop a master plan.

“There is the apathy Alderman McClintock alluded to and that is because of the lack of delivery. We need to see delivery in Currynierin and Tullyally.”

Councillors from all parties added their voices of support.

PBP Councillor Maeve O’Neill spoke of the ‘wonderful potential in that area’. She commented: “There is a serious lack of investment. It’s brilliant there is a worker there but it sounds like there seems to be a need for more human resources there to apply for more funding and to fully achieve the full potential from the action plan from last year.”

UUP Alderman Darren Guy spoke of the need for a ‘total buy-in by the entire community’ to move matters forward.

He added: “We all know the Tullyally community have faced years of underinvestment and without a centre manager for long periods of time it has struggled to maintain any worthwhile notable sums of funding.

“Alderman Ryan McCready and myself attended a public meeting to discuss what the Tullyally community wanted to see in their area. Five people made the effort. Only two were from Tullyally and they were disgusted at the turnout themselves.

“A few weeks after this Alderman McClintock’s party held a meeting between the officers, the centre manager and again only two residents took part. This is why I believe this needs to be cross party focus and a complete regeneration, not only of Tullyally but the neighbouring Currynierin area.

“We must remember to move any master plan forward that we need a total buy-in by the entire community, a willingness to contribute from residents which in turn will create a sense of achievement and pride that will empower the entire community and give them a sense of ownership.”

Agreeing with the previous speakers SDLP Councillor Sean Mooney said: “I had the opportunity to speak to the Tullyally community worker and various representatives in Currynierin. There is definitely under capacity within the Tullyally community centre and the worker there is labouring under a lot of work.

“Currynierin themselves have made wonderful strides over the past year to try and invigorate their own community association and they seem to be coming together.

“Currynierin have their own plans in mind for their area so obviously this master plan and the concept that’s been envisaged for Tullyally, Currynierin would like to ensure that at some stage they can put their own views and proposals forward for any development.”

Describing the committees of Tullyally and Currynierin as being ‘left behind politically and socially’ Alderman Ryan McCready said: “I left Tullyally 20 years ago. I walked down some of the footpaths and roads through the park when I left for my career abroad and it’s almost 20 years later that I have been in and around Tullyally frequently in the past three to four months.

“Largely it has been neglected and it has been forgotten and similarly with Currynierin. Thankfully we are at a place now when we aren’t looking over the wall at Tullyally into Currynierin or vice versa because I can tell you from what I’ve seen and what I’ve heard from people going door to door in those communities, they have been left behind politically and socially and they have not reaped the benefits of anything over the last 20 years so it’s timely that a master plan can be put together.

“Listening to Councillor Jackson saying there is a master plan for Currynierin but it hasn’t been implemented is concerning to me. It doesn’t fill me with much confidence that we keep producing master plans but not delivering on them.

“The most important people in all of this are the people who live there, those who work there and who want to get involved. It’s not just an isolated Tullyally asking for things, albeit they do deserve it, the football club, the women’s group and all the other stakeholders that use the area have a vision and a plan and just need the backing of us and council to make it a reality for them and connect those communities between Currynierin and the new communities like Ivy Mead and the new development further up the road.”

The substantive motion passed unanimously.