Leafair jogging track nearly up & running!

Members of Derry City and Strabane District Council’s Governance and Strategic Planning Committee rubber-stamped additional funding for the exciting project on Tuesday to allow it to proceed in the required timeframe.

SDLP Councillor Brian Tierney said he looked forward to the project’s completion and said the jogging track will complement the existing facilities and 3G pitch in Galliagh.

“The sports funding and the development of the facilities, particularly the Leafair jogging track, is only to be welcomed,” he said.

The city’s accountant Alfie Dallas told the committee how the council has been working with the Leafair Community Association (LCA) and the Department for Communities (DfC) to develop the jogging track adjacent to the synthetic pitch, play park and ‘green gym’ in Leafair. Out of a total cost of £125,000, £90,000 has been secured from the Department for Communities, with a further £17,500 from Northside Development Trust, being matched by the council.

He explained that the council’s Corporate Programme Planning Group, which has no decision-making authority, needed the committee’s approval of a small allocation of loan charge/minimum revenue provision funding of £1,517 in advance of a meeting on April 26, to allow the project proceed smoothly.

Speaking after the meeting, Sinn Féin Councillor for the area, Sandra Duffy, said: “Its great to see investment in facilities right in the heart of local communities that also provide facilities for people to take part in healthy outdoor sports.”

The Melvin 3G pitch in Strabane also received £10,834.