Plans for major £7m peace centre in Dungannon unveiled

IT’S the perfect farewell gift to the residents of the borough - courtesy of Dungannon Council in the final year of its existence.
By The Newsroom
Published 6th May 2014, 14:00 BST
Pictured at the announcement of £7 million worth of European Union funding for the EARLS Project, a major peace and reconciliation initiative in Dungannon, are (Left-Right) Lorraine McCourt, SEUPB Director; Cllr Sean McGuigan, Mayor of Dungannon & South Tyrone Borough Council; and Bernadette McAliskey Co-ordinator of STEP community organisation. The EARLS Project aims to boost community interactions in Dungannon with the construction of a new 30,000 sq. ft. community building and the redevelopment of an interface area into a shared events and leisure space.Pictured at the announcement of £7 million worth of European Union funding for the EARLS Project, a major peace and reconciliation initiative in Dungannon, are (Left-Right) Lorraine McCourt, SEUPB Director; Cllr Sean McGuigan, Mayor of Dungannon & South Tyrone Borough Council; and Bernadette McAliskey Co-ordinator of STEP community organisation. The EARLS Project aims to boost community interactions in Dungannon with the construction of a new 30,000 sq. ft. community building and the redevelopment of an interface area into a shared events and leisure space.
Pictured at the announcement of £7 million worth of European Union funding for the EARLS Project, a major peace and reconciliation initiative in Dungannon, are (Left-Right) Lorraine McCourt, SEUPB Director; Cllr Sean McGuigan, Mayor of Dungannon & South Tyrone Borough Council; and Bernadette McAliskey Co-ordinator of STEP community organisation. The EARLS Project aims to boost community interactions in Dungannon with the construction of a new 30,000 sq. ft. community building and the redevelopment of an interface area into a shared events and leisure space.

In conjunction with STEP, the council has unveiled plans to build a state-of-the-art £7m peace and reconciliation centre in one of the town’s most sectarian interface areas.

The EARLS project is set to be one of the last initiatives of the council before it merges with the new Mid Ulster super council.

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Designed to cater for shared events, leisure activities, and commercial activities, the 30,000 sq. ft. building will be built in the Railway Park area of the town, and is expected to generate a wealth of opportunities for community development, and transform the town into a more integrated and welcoming space.

Mayor of Dungannon, Sean McGuigan said the building was part of the council’s legacy to the district.

“This is a significant development and will have a major benefit to the people and communities of the Borough”, he said.

“It is pleasing that during the final year of this council, we will see commencement of such an important and timely transformation in the town.

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“A lot of work has gone into securing the funds by Council and STEP for this much-needed regeneration project and we are committed to completing it on time in the Autumn of 2015.

We are grateful to our funders for their support and look forward to sharing further updates on this ambitious scheme in the very near future.”

Ann McGlone, Chairperson of STEP said: “The success of the project in getting this far is testimony to perseverance and the power of ordinary people working together.

“It will sustain and strengthen the community consortium in its shared commitment to building a participative and peaceful society which protects rights, respects difference and embraces diversity.

“It will provide a community building in which everyone can belong.”

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