Tullyally bounces back

Two weeks ago the newly constituted assocation, Tullyally 2012, held its first Annual General Meeting (AGM) at Ashlea Primary School.

New chairperson Christine McCallion told the Sentinel the group is now well on its way towards filling the gap created when the old Tullyally and District Development Group Ltd. (TDDG) ceased trading earler this year due to debts of up to £100k.

The new chair said the establishment of the group was vital in light of a community survey which showed there had been an “exponential growth in anti-social behaviour” and the development of a “pronounced drug problem” in the area since the collapse of TDDG.

“That is what’s happening,” she told the Sentinel. “We are trying to get the community centre back up and running again and engage with the kids and get the young people back off the streets.”

Ms McCallion said progress has already been made in this direction and that funding has been secured for a range of activities throughout the month of August.

“Our summer programme starts now on Thursday (tomorrow August 2). There is funding there available for it and the other community associations are going to help us run it for the first few years.”

Last month the Sentinel reported how Tullyally had rallied in the face of adversity when the old community association collapsed.

Now Tullyally 2012 are in the process of preparing a final report and needs analysis for the area, which will soon be submitted to the Department of Social Development (DSD).

An early draft shows the importance attached by local people to the community centre in Tullyally, a Neighbourhood Renewal area, where 65 per cent of residents are dependent on benefits.

For example, 86 of people said the closure of the centre had had a big impact on their family; whilst 113 said it had had a big impact on the community in general.

The survey, which involved a doorstep questionnaire of 145 houses, also identified a clear increase in anti-social behaviour since the centre closed.

Ms McCallion said getting the community centre back up and running was a key priority for the new group.

“It’s very badly needed not just for the youth but for the elderly,” she told the paper. “Hopefully, we’ll be able to get the community centre up and running again.”

The Tullyally 2012 chair acknowledged the help of other community associations within the Waterside Neighbourhood Partnership (WNP), which she said had been invaluable in giving the new group a leg up in its early months.

“WNP and all the other groups underneath have helped us with mentoring, providing a walk through, advising on money available and a bit of training and piggybacking on their own programs until we have the time to set up our own.

“Thanks to the Ulster Unionist Party (UUP) and the other community associations for looking into it, seeing the need that we have and giving us advice and guidance.”

UUP member Ronnie McKeegan paid tribute to the local community and described the new venture as a perfect example of grassroots community action.

He said the Tullyally had been left with nothing after the collapse of TDDG.

“The last company, Tullyally and District Development Group went out of business around about January - just after Christmas,” said Mr McKeegan. “Since then the community have had absolutely nothing.

“They haven’t been able to sit on any board meetings. DSD haven’t really acknowledged them because they haven’t had an association.

“Now that this new association has been formed, DSD will have to take notice and they will be represented on the board and DSD will deliver what they are entitled to.”

Mr McKeegan promised the UUP would back the new group all the way and praised the resilience of the local community.

“It is a bottom-up thing. It’s grassroots. It’s the community delivering what they need for themselves,” said Mr McKeegan. “All we are doing is giving them that platform to help themselves. This is about the people of Tullyally helping themselves, basically.”

The main priorities for Tullyally 2012 are the provision of services for the whole community with a priority on youth provision and provision for the elderly coming second.

Other factors mentioned were an increase of anti-social behaviour, interface tensions, the need for traffic calming and the need for better access to public transport.

Residents also mentioned the negative effect of the centre closing primarily on the community and secondly on their family.