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BACKGROUND TO
THE STEERING GROUP
This all started
with Andrew Russell and Robin Gardiner simply passing the time of day
talking about the neglected state, Drumahoe, was in compared to other
surrounding areas.
Parks - litter -
the playgroup, being left homeless - the lack or no facilities for
the young or the elderly within our community. They felt someone had
to do something, but as usual they hoped it would be someone else.
The common
knowledge that Faughan Valley School site was going to be flatten to
make way for yet more houses or flats made them realise that they had
to get their act together and try and get this stopped.
Surely the
majority of residents would like to see a community centre, a
playschool and safe enclosed areas for our children to enjoy.
They originally
tried to get representation from each area within Drumahoe and felt
this worked well. They got together weekly and made out a community
survey which many of you thankfully took time to complete. The survey
has since been collected and correlated, the results of which you can
read on this website and it outlines the lack of facilities they
thought existed but also includes many more.
During the last 3
months the Steering Group felt it had to act quickly prior to the
setting up of a Community Association, to try and maintain part of,
if not all, of the old Faughan Valley site for the residents.
They have lobbied
local politicians and the press to act on our behalf and have entered
into talks with the WELB and this have also arranged a meeting with
the Planning service and the DUP to put what we feel are the thoughts
of the Drumahoe residents across.
The results of the
community survey and ongoing planning issues need acted upon urgently
and it is certain that many more issues will arise.
FORMATION OF
THE DRUMAHOE COMMUNITY ASSOCIATION
Following on from
the original grouping known as the Drumahoe Steering Group (DSG), the
group has now elected a 15 strong committee that has pledged to fight
for the improvement of facilities in the district.
Late 2007 the DSG
called on Derry City Council to intervene to prevent the proposed
sale of Faughan Valley School. The site has lain unused since the
amalgamation of Clondermott and Faughan Valley in 2004 and the DSG
were anxious to at least partially retain the site for community use
as opposed to handing it over to private development. Derry City
Council said it would be happy to meet with the residents to discuss
their concerns.
DSG conducted a
Community Survey throughout the Drumahoe district and found that
almost all residents were in agreement with a plan to revamp the area.
On Monday night
4th February 2008 the DSG formally became the DCA and set in motion
their plan of action to tackle troublesome tenants, vandalism,
maintenance, create a play area, seek more weekend policing to combat
anti-social behaviour and seek to address the drugs issue in the area
as well.
Leading figure in
the original steering group, Andrew Russell, said: "Simply
put there are no community facilities in Drumahoe. If you look across
the waterside, at Irish Street, Nelson Drive, Tullyally,
Newbuildings, every area has a community centre".
Mr Russell also
pointed out that the lack of a focused centre in Drumahoe has a
particularly isolating effect on the elderly.
"The
school closing had a devastating effect on the area. Older people for
example have to travel in from Drumahoe to the other areas to
participate in activities and it is not always possible. Some of the
elderly therefore don't communicate with anyone from one day to the next,"
he said.
The formal
constituting of the new Community Association now means that
residents have a much stronger voice in tackling issues in the area.
Andrew Russell
also stated that the group will begin to tackle minor issues such as
the provision of bins and bus shelters for the district.
But, the primary
focus will remain the retention of the Faughan Valley School, in some
form, for a dedicated community centre.
Association
Constitution (Adobe PDF File)
The
Committee |
