Derry City and Strabane District Council submitted three successful funding bids into Round One of the Levelling Up Fund with an investment of circa £16m announced in October 2021. All three projects are now in the delivery phase and summarised below.
Daisyfield Community Sports Hub Bid
Sport is a big part of the community in Derry City and Strabane. The area has produced:
- Olympic athletes
- Paralympic athletes
- World Champions
The Sports Hub, in Brandywell, is currently unfit for use. This area has some of the highest levels of deprivation across Northern Ireland. The community must travel out of their area to access facilities.
Upgrades to Daisyfield Sports Hub
The hub will help breathe a new lease of life into the football and boxing communities in the city.
The regeneration of the sports hub will include:
- a FIFA 1 Star synthetic multi-use games area
- development of a single storey sports centre
- an upgraded grass pitch
- new changing rooms.
Attracting new participants
The community hub will provide a new home for Oakleaf Boxing Club, who are developing the next generation of talented boxers.
The hope is also that the upgrades will attract those currently underrepresented in boxing and football.
Daisyfield Sports Hub was one of three projects that were successful in securing Levelling Up Funding in Derry City and Strabane.
Find out more about levelling up.
Acorn Farm Bid
£5.6 million from the Levelling Up Fund is set to support the development of Acorn Farm, an urban growing space in St Columb’s Park, Derry/Londonderry.
Sandra Duffy, Mayor of Derry City & Strabane District Council, said:
Acorn Farm is an exciting project that will see the regeneration of a disused site into an urban food growing space with a new gate lodge, enhanced car parking and wider environmental improvements.
The focus of the farm is to develop a high-quality, urban food growing hub, a Green Skills learning academy, a sustainable food event venue and an impressive visitor destination. I look forward to seeing this fantastic project grow.
Robert Shearman, of The Conservation Volunteers, said:
Acorn Farm will be an amazing facility, helping to educate the population of Derry City & Strabane District Council about growing food sustainably. However, it will also be a big attraction to visitors and tourists from across Northern Ireland and further afield.
The Conservation Volunteers are proud to be a partner in the Acorn Farm Project and supporting 1000 households to grow vegetables at home over the next 5 years. This work will have a big positive impact on mitigating climate change and many other benefits, including people’s health, skills, and happiness.
Acorn farm will help create a brighter future for the people of Derry City and Strabane. Its legacy will be:
- demonstrating how to grow food in a sustainable way
- teaching people about food
Find out more about levelling up.
Castlederg Active Bid
Located on the edge of Northern Ireland with a population of 3,000 people, Castlederg is a rural town in County Tyrone. In recent years the town has fallen behind its more urban neighbours.
Now, £5.8 million from the Levelling Up Fund will help Castlederg address:
- access to adequate facilities
- access to open space
- health inequality
Mitchel Park redevelopment
Mitchel Park will be upgraded to accommodate:
- a Gaelic Athletic Association junior-sized pitch
- 3mini pitches for youth training
- Trim Trail playground equipment
- a senior soccer pitch
There will be several other improvements including:
- addressing flooding issues
- improving pathways
- new street furniture
Improvements to Castle Park
At Castle Park there will be:
- new interpretation panels
- upgraded pathways
- an event space
- a new play area
Improvements to Castlederg town
Throughout the town there will be new additions including:
- upgrades to Greenways, connecting the Castle, Mitchel Park, the town centre, and residential areas
- inclusive play space with modern equipment and disabled access
Amenities in the Diamond area of town will also be improved with two new parklets.
Sandra Duffy, Mayor of Derry City and Strabane District Council, said:
This is a really positive good news story for our council area that will see a much-needed cash injection to bring to fruition these exciting initiatives.
