News

Mayor turns the sod as work commences at Derg Active sites

27 February 2024

The Mayor of Derry and Strabane, Councillor Patricia Logue, was in Castlederg on Friday for the turning of the sod as work officially gets underway on the Diamond and Castle Park elements of the Derg Active Project.

Derg Active is an integrated economic, health and wellbeing initiative incorporating infrastructure at a number of key sites in the town to promote and encourage more active lifestyles.

The £6.5m project is funded though the UK Government’s Levelling Up Fund and Council, with £5,823,090 secured by Council as part of a wider Levelling Up package, to create a high-quality public realm space at the Diamond in the centre of the village, new play provision and lighting at the Castle Park and enhanced greenway connectivity at Dergview FC.

The Mayor was joined by members of the project team, local councillors and representatives from the UK Levelling Up Department, to mark the milestone. It was recently announced that Lowry Building and Civil Engineering (LBCE), have been appointed to deliver the public realm space at the Diamond, and Gibson / Coleman JV, appointed to deliver the new play provision and greenway connectivity at the Castle Park and Dergview FC.

Works have now started on the Castle Park site which will require a section of the Park to be closed. Tree removal will take place in the Diamond this week before the main upgrade works start later in spring. Works at the sites are expected to be completed by Winter 2024. The planning process is already well underway for the delivery of the 3G multi-sport Pitch at Mitchell Park, and work will begin there later this year (subject to planning approval).