FR EE PUBLISHED AS A COMMUNITY SERVICE BY SAINTFIELD Saintfield News DEVELOPMENT ASSOCIATION I S S U E 1 1 SUMMER 2016 Community Centre Update In the last issue of Saintfield expressions of interest from - providing more detail on the News it was reported that private sector leisure and likely use of the different rooms INSIDE THIS Newry, Mourne and Down fitness operators to join the and space in the proposed I S S U E : councillors had given unanimous project on the understanding community centre. A support for the Saintfield that capital investment of questionnaire is being sent out P A G E community centre project and around £1.5m from the private in June to all of the church, Chair’s 2 outlined some school, Viewpoint of the target community and milestones for sports groups Community 2 the project in and around Litter Pick that had been Saintfield to agreed help provide We Need 3 between the this Your Help! Saintfield information. If Development you are a We Need 4 Association member of any Your Help! and the group that (continued) Council. Since might make then there has use of the new Corporate 4 been facilities, even Sponsor continued for only one good event a year, “Grow Wild” 5 progress: please make In Saintfield - Justyna sure that your group Saintfield 5 McCabe has been appointed as the Council’s sector partner is anticipated. responds to the questionnaire, a Crime Report Project Coordinator for the The closing date for these copy of which is on page three expressions of interest is 23rd of this issue. Saintfield Cycle 6 project. June and initial indications are Ride Success - Tom McLean has been - it is likely that the model to that there will be enough organise and manage the new appointed Project Manager for interest. Waste Ground 6 the technical side of the project facility will require a new trust Developed and, with a small team, will be - The Council has stated that to be established, comprising working closely with Justyna and they have committed £1.5m the Council and people from the SDA. for the Saintfield community Saintfield. The SDA is keen to centre in the financial year include people from other - Monthly meetings of the starting April 2017. community groups in learning Project Team in NMD and the - They have also stated that about suitable trust models and SDA members involved with the selecting the right one for the project have been organised and even if a private sector partner is not found, the project will Saintfield community centre. the first one has already taken This trust is likely to be the place. These meetings will focus go ahead in April 2017 with the Council’s budget alone. body who contracts any private on ensuring continued progress sector partner, so will need to for the project and good All of this progress is very be set up during 2016. Please communication between the good news. contact the SDA if you would Council and Saintfield residents. The next important steps for like to be a part of the team - The Council has advertised for the community are: exploring trust models. P A G E 2 Chair’s Viewpoint This is my last opportunity to the community centre (reported congratulate the chairs and provide a Chair’s update as I will elsewhere in this issue) has been members of the SDA be standing down at the AGM largely due to these committees who have made so on June 13th. I would like to strengthened relationships and I much happen during the year. remind you of the commitments would like to commend all those I made at the beginning of my on the SDA community centre Lawrence Murphy, as well as year and to comment on SDA’s team for their hard work and being treasurer, is the chair of progress since then. perseverance in bringing this the Green/Saintfield in Bloom about. 365 Committee, wining awards I said in Saintfield News edition yet again for their floral 8 that my priority was to ensure The new Council has set up a displays and litter picks; Bob that all political parties and new “DEA Forum” for each of its Pollock and the Events directors in the NMD Council District Electoral Areas. Committee organised an came to understand the needs of Community Groups were invited excellent Christmas Fair and Saintfield and to build the to apply to join these and I am very popular cycle runs: partnership between SDA and pleased to advise that the SDA Barbara Graham and the NMD. I said that the test of this has been selected to join the Infrastructure Committee led would be the progress made Rowallane DEA Forum. The first the progress for the Martyn Todd with the new community centre meeting of this Forum was held community centre; Brian Chair of Saintfield and with working with the on 8th June and it should provide Gamble and the Development sports clubs in Saintfield and better communications between Communications Committee Association Darragh Cross to improve our the NMD and all community produced Saintfield News and outdoor sports facilities. groups in our local area. various press releases, Ian Mack, as well as being I am pleased to say that we have Progress to improve outdoor secretary also kept the made very good progress in sports facilities has not happened website up to date and building relationships with as hoped as Sport NI applied circulated electronic councillors and officials in the restrictions to its new funding newsletters, while David new Council. We have met all stream that effectively ruled Greer managed the SDA political parties in NMD and had Saintfield and Darragh Cross Facebook page. Paul productive meetings with all ineligible to apply. McGeown, as Vice-Chair, gave relevant senior officials. I believe me excellent advice and that the significant progress on Finally I would like to support throughout the year. Community Litter Pick The Green committee of the SDA comprised recyclables. The result organised a successful community will be added to Saintfield’s tally for litter pick on Saturday 14th May. A The Big Spring Clean, Northern total of 28 people took part, Ireland. including eight pupils and a teacher “Keep Northern Ireland Beautiful” from Academy school, which was provided the litter pickers, publicity good to see. material and recycling bags, while the In the space of two or three hours, NMD Council provided the bin bags the team of volunteers cleaned up 13 and gloves and arranged for the roads, a wood, three car parking removal of the rubbish. The SDA areas, two play parks, two sports made a donation to the 2nd grounds and about 4 km of streets. Presbyterian Church for the use of The end result was 28 bags of their premises and provision of rubbish, of which four bags refreshments to the clean-up squad. SDA has been able to publish this edition of Saintfield News thanks to sponsorship by: Martin Phillips, 9A, Portaferry Road, Newtownards, BT23 8NN. SAINTFIELD NEWS I S S U E 1 1 P A G E 3 We Need Your Help! An appeal to all community, school, further space e.g. for social gatherings? questionnaire we carried out two years church and sports groups in and 6 Any other comments or suggestions? ago. around Saintfield. 7 What are your thoughts on an open They include a multi purpose hall and day at the site (see below)? both a small and large club / meeting room. We have established a project team with Council and have set up regular meetings to bring us to a proposed start date of The broad plan is as follows. April 2017. An advertisement has already been Building A published inviting private companies to As proposed at the public meeting ,this tender as a partner in the development. will be an indoor space for large ball This is a two stage process and response sports with a “4G” or similar surface and to this stage one has been good. adjoining storage and changing facilities. Council have made it clear that they will bring the project forward and contribute £1,500,000 to the capital budget. It is We also would like to include an expected that the private partner will adjoining small closed off outside space invest a similar amount. and a generous lobby / social space which To help us in this process we should be would be common to all and form the very grateful if you would answer the approach to all the different spaces. following questions and return to the e-mail address below as soon as possible. We will analyse your responses to obtain Building C the best possible facility. This will be largely the space for Leisure “Active Saintfield” is a group of our facilities, exercise classes, children’s party sports club leaders chaired by David Questions Morrow. 1 What would you do in the Centre? They have volunteered to form a trust to 2 How often? administer this facility. 3 How much space would you need roughly.? Building B 4 What ancillary facilities would you use – The idea is that this will be the hub of the storage, changing / toilets, kitchen, other? Community facilities. 5 Would you have occasional need for These will be guided by the results of the SDA has been able to publish this edition of Saintfield News thanks to sponsorship by: Norman McBriar, 33a, Main Street, Saintfield, BT24 7AB. I S S U E 1 1 P A G E 4 We Need Your Help! (continued from previous page) facilities etc and we expect this to be the It does, however focus minds on an idea of the size of the buildings and how focus of the private partner.