Opening of new Community Garden in Drumbeg - 27 January 2010

I am delighted to be here in Drumbeg this afternoon to officially open your new Community Garden.

This £100,000 project is part of a programme of environmental improvement works which my Department has funded in this area in recent times. It will, I hope, help to develop a sense of community identity and pride and create a safer and more attractive neighbourhood where you, the local residents, will want to live and bring up your families.

You will be pleased to know that I have also provided funding for a further programme of work to upgrade the footways in the Drumbeg Estate. This £105,000 project, which is being progressed by the Department of Regional Development, is due to commence shortly. The work will further enhance the local environment and will give renewed confidence not only to the residents of the immediate area but to the entire community in Brownlow.

I would like to thank the other contributors, Craigavon Borough Council, the Arts Council for Northern Ireland and the Northern Ireland Housing Executive who provided the land. I would also like to pay tribute to Red Apple Arts who designed the art work, the local residents association and the Brownlow Neighbourhood Partnership who included the project in their action plan for regenerating this area.

Without further ado I would like to declare the Drumbeg Community Park officially open.