Portaferry Community Collective Ltd (PCCL) in partnership with Ards Borough Council held the Launch of the completion of a programme of Public Realm Works.
The event on Thursday 22 January 2015 was very well attended by local people, members of PCCL and different groups within the town. Also present was the Mayor of Ards, Cllr Philip Smith, Cllr Angus Carson, Cllr Joe Boyle, Cllr Robert Adair, Michelle McIlveen MLA and Jim Shannon MP.
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Left to Right back row – Lenny Lawson, Mary Mageean, Billy McCaughern (Artist), Mark Christie (DRAP), Cllr Robert Adair, Vince McKevitt (DARD), Cathy Wright (NIHE), Margaret McGreevy, Michelle McIlveen MLA, Brendan MacPolin, Doug Edmondson, Caroline NolanLeft to Right front row – Cllr Angus Carson, Jim Shannon MP, Mayor or Ards Cllr Philip Smith, Cllr Joe Boyle, Ellen Allen, Frances McCormick.[/caption]
Launching the leaflet that celebrated the completed project, Mayor of Ards, Councillor Philip Smith paid tribute to the members of PCCL for their work in driving the project and added: “These works included provision of 2 Artistic Entrance Features at Castle Street and Coach Road, the painting of 26 Derelict/ Vacant Properties and provision of 20 Planter Summer Seats along the shorefront.
“The completion of this project is due is the hard work of Portaferry Community Collective Ltd and the local people and groups who got involved and supported them in particular Portaferry Integrated and St Mary’s Primary Schools, Ballyphilip Youth Club and Portaferry Seniors Group.“
He also referred to the active role Ards Borough Council had played in the project helping the group in getting permissions and providing a bridging loan. Also speaking at the event and congratulating all those involved was Councillor Robert Adair on behalf of Down Rural Area Partnership, Vince McKevitt, Department of Agriculture and Rural Development, and Cathy Wright, Northern Ireland Housing Executive.
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One of the new metal features at the entrance to Portaferry.[/caption]
Ellen Allen, speaking on behalf of PCCL said: “We would like to thank all those involved in making this project happen… the Northern Ireland Rural Development Programme as part of the European Agriculture Fund for Rural Development: European investing rural areas (Down Rural Area Partnership) and the Northern Ireland Housing Executive who funded the project. Ards Borough Council who partnered us in the Project and worked closely with us throughout the project. County Down Rural Community Network for support, advice and guidance.
“Thanks to artist Billy McCaughern of Metal Imagineers for his excellent work on the Entrance Features and the local groups who worked with him already mentioned by the Mayor and to everyone who participated in the public consultation sessions and to those individuals who went out of their way to help. Also we would like to thank Portaferry Regeneration Ltd who helped us identify properties and their owners, the owners of the properties for giving us permission to paint their buildings. To the other contractors employed Brian Kelly Painting Contractor Ltd and Ecoplastics.”
Copies of the leaflet on the project are available from Portaferry Library for anyone interested.
Strangford MP Jim Shannon (DUP) has welcomed the public realm scheme for Portaferry.
He said: “The transformation of the village has been truly amazing with 26 derelict buildings refurbished with paint and small changes that have literally breathed new life into the village.
“The superb efforts by Ards Borough Council and DARD have enabled a whole new look for Portaferry. The support by Ballyphilip Youth Club, St Mary’s Primary School and Integrated Primary School and the knowledge of Portaferry Seniors Club and the impact of the community has been invaluable.
“And the expertise of artist Billy McCaughern, along with the two art sculptures, 20 new summer seats and plantings along the shorefront are evidence of the tremendous work by so many to transform the village of Portaferry making it a key tourist destination on the east coast and in Northern Ireland.”
Ards Borough SDLP Councillor Joe Boyle has also welcomed the recent launch of the Portaferry Public Realm scheme within the community by the Portaferry Community Collective, and has described the event once again as the “Portaferry Community demonstrating it’s desire to continue with the process of improving the community for residents and those many visitors and tourists who regularly descend upon the area on an annual basis.”
He said: “once again leadership within the community kick starting initiatives that improve the living and visitor experience, by convincing funders of the viability of the project, has proven to be a winner yet again for Portaferry.”
Councillor Boyle added: “Portaferry is still a huge attraction for many tourists and visitors and it is therefore important that the case is made and continues to be made to the various funding bodies to realise the tourism potential for this location.
“I congratulate all those who assisted with this project and I look forward to making the case for Portaferry and the Ards Peninsula in general, as a tourism destination, something that I am keen to promote within the new larger Council structure, incorporating the former Ards & North Down Councils, in the coming weeks and months.”
UUP Ards Councillor Angus Carson said: “I have given the PCC my full support from the start. It is a great organisation and has done so much since it was formed to bring Portaferry’s over thirty groups together onto the collective.
“It has really transformed the town. They are doing an excellent job and I wish them well for the future in their endeavours. They have certainly made a huge effort if removing the derelict appearance of the town.”
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