Delight as £187,549 Space & Place funding awarded to Irish Street Community and Youth Association

Irish Street Youth and Community Association in Derry is celebrating a funding windfall following a grant of £187,549 from the Big Lottery funded Space & Place programme.

The group is one of 13 organisations across the North receiving a share from a funding pot of £4.3 million, the largest amount awarded to date by Space & Place in any round.

The Waterside group plans to use the funding to transform derelict, underused and inaccessible space in Irish Street into a fully functional, accessible and inclusive outdoor community green space to be used as a casual outdoor meeting space where it will also run various programmes, activities and seasonal events.

The area which currently only has one park bench will be enhanced with a new community “growing space,” seating area and improved lighting of the site.

There are also plans for an accessible pathway which will link the green space with the community centre, new play park and the wider estate, as well as the development of a car park and bus stop to improve community connections and accessibility. Claire Russell from Irish Street Community and Youth Association said they were “absolutely delighted” when the letter came through to say that they had been successful.

“The Space and Place programme funding is going to make such a massive impact to the life of people in Irish Street; by transforming an underused and difficult space into a welcoming and accessible community green space, where residents can come to relax, meet people and take part in various programmes and events."