This follows a major funding boost of £265,000 to restore the local landmark, that came after three years of planning, community engagement and hard work.
Neil Doherty MBE, Chair of the Culmore Community Partnership (CCP) said: “Many thanks to our very generous funders. These include the Village Catalyst grant scheme, a partnership initiative between the Department for Communities (DfC), the Architectural Heritage Fund (AHF), the Department for Agriculture Environment and Rural Affairs (DAERA) and the Northern Ireland Housing Executive (NIHE).
"We have also received funding from The Honourable The Irish Society, Garfield Weston Foundation and the Pilgrim Trust. Without their support we could not realise our ambitious plans to provide much needed community space for the people of Culmore.
“The Fort at Culmore was held by the Crown until it was sold off with its lands to the Honourable The Irish Society in 1840 and the Society still own the old Fort today.
"For the past 50 years the Fort has been leased by Lough Foyle Yacht Club. CCP has now taken over the lease to allow the building to be restored and made available for community use.
"We would like to thank the Yacht Club for their support during the development phase of this project and we look forward to continuing our partnership working as we move forward.”
Una Cooper, Strategic Manager, CCP stated: “The restored Fort will be primarily used to provide much needed mental and emotional support for children and young people living in Culmore.
"We will also host support programmes for adults and cultural and heritage events. In a rural area with few amenities and services, the restoration of the Fort will create much needed community space.”
Communities Minister Gordon Lyons welcomed the construction phase and added: “This project will provide a vital community resource for Culmore and surrounding areas.
"We are seeing more and more communities applying to Village Catalyst and I am pleased that my Department is able to support projects where at-risk heritage properties are being revitalised and restored for the benefit of the local community.
"We have seen a range of properties conserved and modernised through Village Catalyst, delivering greater economic sustainability and positive social outcomes for local people and businesses. I very much look forward to visiting the finished project.”
DAERA Minister Andrew Muir commented: “Culmore Fort was identified for support through the Village Catalyst Programme, part-funded through my Department’s Tackling Rural Poverty and Social Isolation (TRSPI) Programme.
"The Programme tackles rural poverty and social isolation by refurbishing neglected community owned historic buildings for locally identified uses which provide access to services and address core community needs."
Matthew McKeague, Chief Executive of the Architectural Heritage Fund, confirmed “Culmore Fort is a fabulous example of the potential of a Village Catalyst scheme: regenerating a redundant historic asset to serve the needs of the local community.
"In this case, the needs of young people living in and around Culmore who will have the opportunity to access a range of activities and services, in a beautifully restored and unique part of the village's history.”
1. The restored Fort will be primarily used to provide much needed mental and emotional support for children and young people living in Culmore.
The restored Fort will be primarily used to provide much needed mental and emotional support for children and young people living in Culmore. Photo: CCP
2. Work on the restoration of the historic Culmore Fort is well underway and is due to be completed by the end of March 2025, the Culmore Community Partnership has confirmed.
Work on the restoration of the historic Culmore Fort is well underway and is due to be completed by the end of March 2025, the Culmore Community Partnership has confirmed. Photo: CCP
3. The renovation follows a major funding boost of £265,000 to restore the local landmark, that came after three years of planning, community engagement and hard work.
The renovation follows a major funding boost of £265,000 to restore the local landmark, that came after three years of planning, community engagement and hard work. Photo: CCP
4. It's estimated the restoration will be completed by March.
It's estimated the restoration will be completed by March. Photo: CCP