Christmas and New Year Message from DCC Chief

The year we have been working towards and getting ready for is finally upon us; 2013 promises to be Derry’s year, it is our time to shine and let the world see what a great city we are.

We have a fantastic year of world class events programmed in that will showcase our cultural and creative talents and tell the world our new story. We are all hugely excited about it and hope you are too.

A lot of work is going on behind the scenes to ensure 2013 is a great success. We want it to be a year of celebration, where everyone in the city feels part of it and benefits from the year. We want businesses locally to reap the benefits of the huge opportunities the City of Culture year brings and anticipate it will bring new energy and a positive focus for not only our city but the entire region.

City of Culture will place us in a strong position to redress the years of imbalance in terms of investment and allow us to create a North West regional city with tangible assets in terms of physical and social renewal for our communities.

Derry City Council is committed to working with key partners across the city to ensure the delivery of the City of Culture programme and that it provides a lasting legacy for future generations. 2013 will be a significant year for Derry City Council and I am committed to leading the team in delivering quality public services to ratepayers and ensuring that those services are delivered efficiently and effectively.

On a personal note, Christmas is obviously a very special time for me. I am looking forward to spending valuable time with my family and friends. I recently broke my foot and it remains in plaster which has limited my mobility and forced me to take an early rest!

It will be a short break for me as the Council will be pulling out all the stops on New Year’s Eve to host a fantastic family event along the Quay from 7.50pm to 8.30pm, there will be fireworks, animation and a superb pyrotechnics show, the likes of which the city has never seen before. It will be a fitting start to 2013 and our year of celebration.

I would like to extend a very Happy Christmas and a prosperous and peaceful New Year to everyone. I look forward to working to ensure 2013 is our most memorable year ever and will be the start of a new era for Derry~Londonderry.