Ballee to bloom with £96k community gardening makeover - Storey

Funding of £96,000 has been announced by Social Development Minister, Mervyn Storey MLA, for a community gardening project in Ballee.
By The Newsroom
Published 23rd Nov 2015, 12:25 BST
Ballee (Image courtesy Google Earth).Ballee (Image courtesy Google Earth).
Ballee (Image courtesy Google Earth).

The Drumtara Shared Space Community Growing Project will transform an unused grass area in Drumtara, within the Ballee estate, into a community gardening and allotment site for use by local residents.

The project will include - 33 allotments; an upper allotment entrance and seating area: a wildflower meadow with fruit trees; compost bins, a tool shed and poly tunnel; and, a growing space for people with limited mobility.

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Minister Storey said: “This is an excellent project which will provide an opportunity for the community to come together to develop the allotments as a shared space where a wide range of residents, young and old, can work together, share skills, build relationships and benefit from healthy lifestyles.

“This project forms part of my Department’s Neighbourhood Renewal strategy to improve the quality of life for people in some of our most deprived neighbourhoods. It will increase community involvement, offer a healthier lifestyle option and provide local residents with training to enable them to develop and maintain their allotments.”

The project will be delivered by the Northern Ireland Housing Executive, (NIHE).

The NIHE’s appointed landscape contractor will also deliver both accredited and non accredited training to the allotment management committee and allotment holders to equip them with the necessary skills to sustain and grow the site.