An exciting new venture is to be explored in Ardglass and hopefully developed within a couple of years.
At a meeting of the Economic and Cultural Development Committee of Down District Council, Jim Masson presented the project which will be located at The Harbour in Ardglass that will address key issues facing the fishermen, their families and the local community.
It is proposed to rebuild the former supermarket at The Harbour in Ardglass and replace it with a fully functioning maritime centre servicing the broad needs of the fishing and the wider community with a raft of support services supporting the work of the Fishermen’s Mission and creating new community space.
In March and April 2014, the Fishermen’s Mission  injected over £60,000 of emergency aid into the three County Down fishing ports alleviating great stress and hardshp. Many fishing families had little food, were experiencing fuel poverty, and were in arrears with rent and mortgages, and some were facing foreclosure on boats and homes. They were experiencing severe deprivation and stress.
Ardglass is now facing an annual cyclical problem as the fishing opportunities drop off in September and do not pick up again until at least the following April. Bad weather, environmental conditions, quota restrictions, EU technical restrictions, and the economic recession have all played their part  in making life very difficult for the hard working fishermen of Northern Ireland and in Ardglass, a port of 35 fishing vessels.
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A former supermarket in Ardglass is at the centre of a proposal to create a maritime welfare and well-being centre run by a partnership with the Fishermen of Northern Ireland, the Fishermen’s Mission, Ardglass Vikings and NIFHA.[/caption]
Jim Masson, project co-ordinator explained: “A project management group has been formed adopting a partnership approach.  “The water-based organisations of the Fishermen’s Mission, Fishermen of Northern Ireland group, Ardglass Vikings, NIFHA are supporting this initiative.
“Many years ago people in Ardglass will remember the old Fishermen’s Rest which played a key part in the life of the fishing community. This premises was demolished in the Nineties. Now this new group wishes to meet the needs of the local fishing community with a new Fishermen’s Rest  in a multi-faceted project.
“The proposed location is in the former supermarket ie Henderson’s SPAR at the Harbour. I have already spoken to the Henderson’s property manager and the group has been  given me a green light  to proceed with project development.
“There are a number of  key strands of sustainability built into this plan as it will need to be fully self-supporting and capable of generating income.
“The project basically is based on the identifiable needs within the fishing community and in Ardglass and the broader fishing community within the current difficult economic climate where fishermen annually face long periods of unproductive work or zero fishing.
“I therefore welcome the co-peration of all groups and interests in the community in driving this important project forward.”
The projct aims to :
* instal a new building on a 5000 sqr feet site using the upstairs for business units to add to sustainability. There may be some small business units available for lease
* provide more space for the Fishermen’s Mission to execute its work including its pastoral care into the heart of the Ardglass fishing community
* include an arts and craft shop as the centre is in a prime visitor/tourist location
*include a hot desking facility
* provide new business space and units and a Neutral Venue meeting space
* provide small meeting rooms for support agencies and 1:1 consultations
* provide a sustainable boat-building project at the rear of premises in partnership with other agencies to develop skills in boat making and repair etc
* provide a fitness suite
* provide a neutral meeting space which acts as an education room fully equipped which can be used for night classes, seminars, lectures etc
* a board room for meetings (available to local businesses and community groups)
* radio room for training (improving sea safety)
* provide premises to be used by emergency services in an emergency and for training eg RNLI, HM Coastguard, PSNI etc
* provide  classes, talks, workshops, and presentations, sign-posting etc on an on-going basis much focussed on community health and wellbeing (supported by a health development worker)
* to provide a comfortable venue for fishermen to hold meetings and meet government and industry represetatives etc. (will raise confidence and self-esteeem and allow for improved capacity-building)
* to provide direct support and interventions to fishermen, their families, the fishing community and wider community.
* to provide a hub for community action and planning and for fundraising for local groups and associations (to create a culture of co-operation.).
* to set up a job club for the unemployed
* to facilitate new groups (such as the setting up of a Sea Scouts branch in Ardglass) and encourage social inclusion.
* the centre will have a free wi-fi and computer point and a break-out social area.
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A proposal to create a new maritime welfare and welbeing centre at the harbour in Ardglass has been announced.[/caption]
Jim Masson explained: “It is envisaged that this project could be built within a couple years of its inception pending grant funding being available. DOE Planning Service explained there are no significant planning issues at present. The new centre will run a wide range of support programmes for the fishermen and the community but also it will provide much needed space for local youth diversion projects and other activities generally improving the quality of social life in Ardglass.
“The group’s next stage is to examine options for the way ahead. It is envisaged that the industry, the Fishermen’s Mission, the community and voluntary sector and the funding streams in rural development will help drive this project to its conclusion. The idea of self-help is very significant and it is important from the onset that the fishing community does all within its power to address hardship and poverty and help the front line fishermen to boost their economic opportunities in the fishing sector. This centre will help the fishermen to add to that.
“It will also be an opportunity to address the built heritage and decay at the harbour area and remove the old elongated, supermarket front.
“The development will also stimulate life and business around the harbour and encourage further investment such as has happened in North Shields harbour in the N-E England (a classic example of what can be achieved through multi-agency and multi-sectoral co-operatiion).
“A management company is being set up  to develop and run the project. It will be a huge boost to the Ardglass community and hopefully stimulate the economic  life in Ardglass with a strong focus on the fishing and maritime sector. It should create a number of new jobs directly and indirectly, and hopefully we will see new businesses grow in Ardglass.”
“We’ll all have to row together out of the doldrums on this on. Groups will all have to co-operate and help where possible. The fishing industry is at the heart of the community and we need to ensure adequate levers are in place to do what we can when things get difficult in the hard times. This project will not be a magic wand but it will make a significant difference. It will create a manger position, a health development worker, and hopefully other positions. It will in involve some community planning but that will sort itself out in the consultation process.
“Currently, the building is being used by Streetsafe Ardglass who have a lease until February 2015 with an option of a further nine months until November 2015.”
South Down MP Margaret Ritchie (SDLP) has supported the project idea and said: “The Maritime Welfare and Wellbing Centre project in Ardglass is vital that the local community is at the heart of meeting the needs of that community. The Centre proposed for Ardglass will not only enable the local community to develop in both social and economic terms but it will also result in a positive regeneration of the local built environment with the proposed new build centre.
“I very much welcome the commitment shown to date in bringing forward this project. I hope that the Council and other government bodies will embrace this project, and see it as a delivery mechanism and catalyst for their future community, social and economic programmes.”Down Councillor Willie Clarke (Sinn Féin) said: “This is a very worthwhile project. It is complex but seems to have identified to key issues and is offering solutions to the difficulties facing the Ardglass fishing community. I think it is particularly valuable as it will create jobs and also help to kickstart  the renovation of the harbour area and once again attract people to Ardglass.”
Everyone in Ardglass will have an opportunity to input into shaping the project further during a consultation process which will begin in November. Details will be announced later.Â
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Meanwhile, Jim Masson can be reached at 07855545873 or 028 44 615690 for any further queries.
E-mail: jim@downnews.co.uk
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