Unveiling of Shared Neighbourhood Feature at Entrance to the Castle Area – 24 March 2010

Thank you Denis [Denis Hanna, Chairman Castle Community Association] and welcome to local dignitaries

It is great to be here today in Ballymoney to unveil the Castle Street entrance feature which so beautifully captures both the history and the future of this estate as a Shared Neighbourhood. I am delighted that my Department has been able to assist in bringing the entrance feature to fruition by providing funding through the Small Pockets of Deprivation programme delivered by the Housing Executive.    

I had the pleasure of launching the Shared Neighbourhood Programme in partnership with the International Fund for Ireland back in August 2008. And was delighted to welcome Castle Street as part of the Programme when we launched Phase 2 last June. The central purpose of the Programme is to support and protect neighbourhoods where people choose to live with others regardless of their religion or race, in communities that are safe and welcoming to all and threatening to no-one.  

More of us than ever are on record as saying that we want to live in a mixed neighbourhood but without communities like Castle Street, this would forever remain an aspiration. You are helping to make it a reality. Shared Neighbourhoods are a bit like an iceberg. The vast majority of the work that goes on is unseen and is driven forward by people who work quietly to make their neighbourhoods safer and more inclusive places to live. This is not about creating utopias but rather it is about creating real housing choice for those who want to raise their families in communities that co-exist in mutual respect and shared understanding.   

When I launched the New Housing Agenda back at the start of 2008, I made it clear that I wanted to provide housing solutions that would start to bring people together rather than continue to keep them apart. Your actions help articulate my vision. Your willingness to embrace diversity and celebrate ‘difference’ is an important step in creating neighbourhoods where people will choose to live and raise their families.  

Today is a wonderful testimony to the enthusiasm and sense of community within the Castle area. I am also delighted that so many public representatives have joined with us today. Developing communities like Castle Street requires a partnership approach and I would like to take this opportunity to thank the International Fund for Ireland for its financial support for the Shared Neighbourhood Programme and for its contribution to the entrance feature.

It was Mahatma Ghandi who said “Be the change that you want to see in the world”. You can all take credit for being part of the change process in Northern Ireland where choice in social housing to live alongside people of different social and cultural backgrounds, will become the norm rather than the exception.

Thank you again for inviting me along today to unveil this entrance feature which publicly testifies that the Castle estate is proud to be a shared neighbourhood . I wish you well on your future journey and I will keenly follow your progress over the weeks and months to come.