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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. It may be they providing facilities which are well thought we hope to use them. charge a membership fee similar to most out and fit our needs without being We envisage that this would be a fun day leisure facilities. excessive, impractical or uneconomic. with play equipment for children, food stalls The Way Forward Private Partner etc. At this stage we feel that we need to We also need to be conscious of a very We thought clubs might like to put up stalls obtain more detailed feedback from end tight budget. A private partner will take showcasing themselves and attract potential users. We need to know how you would responsibility for the day to day running members. use the community space e.g. what size of of the facility, so there would be no Finally hall you would need. caretaking duties required from us. We would appreciate your attention and We are conscious that we need to be very The Saintfield Development Association help with this major project, which has clear about what we want and why, cannot be the sole local member of this taken so much time, effort and negotiation otherwise we will have something imposed trust. The trust must have members to reach this stage. on us which may not be suitable or meet representative of end users. the needs of the community. The finishing line is in sight and we just We need those who see themselves as need to make the final push to achieve our Governance regular users to contact us so that we goal – a well designed and useful facility to Council have proposed that the whole can get together and develop a better serve the needs of all sections of the facility be overseen and governed by a idea of who should be involved in the Saintfield and district community. Trust. Trust composed of local end users and Your Input Council representatives. Open Day Please let us have your input by contacting The advantage of this for us is that we will We are planning to hold an open day at the editor via e-mail: have a say in how the facilities are run and the site in early September. The idea is to can design this to suit our needs. let Saintfield people tour the site and get [email protected] Corporate Sponsor

CES Quarry Products, who operate is the satisfaction of contributing to from a site just outside Saintfield on the betterment of their village and the Crossgar road, recently became environment. a corporate sponsor of the SDA. If you or your company would like The family owned business has to support the work done by the committed to contributing a SDA for your community, we significant amount to the SDA each would welcome any contribution month as a show of support for the you could make, whether as a activities and events the association corporate sponsor, a one – off does for the benefit of Saintfield donation or as a volunteer giving residents. your time to help on any of our The SDA is a registered charity working committees which appeal organisation and relies heavily on to your interests. donations, grants and fund raising Please express your willingness to events to finance the wide range of donate or to volunteer your time activities with which it is involved. and expertise by contacting the The Association is run by a team of editor via e-mail: volunteers, who give of their time unstintingly and whose only reward [email protected] P A G E 5 “Grow Wild” In Saintfield

The Green committee of Primary and Saintfield High, the SDA has been busy prepared the ground, developing the ground at seeded it with grass and two sites in Saintfield as planted a variety of wild part of the “Grow Wild” flowers. nationwide campaign. The wild flower sites will Grow Wild is the U.K.’s need constant watering biggest ever wild flower during the summer months campaign, bringing people and their displays will do together to transform local much to enhance the spaces with native, appearance of the roads pollinator friendly wild into Saintfield and further flowers and plants, improve the image of the The areas selected in village. Saintfield are the Points at All the work has been done the junctions of Belfast and by volunteers, with Comber roads, and Lisburn machinery and materials and Old Belfast roads. donated by local people and Committee members, with it is hoped that their efforts the help of volunteers and will be appreciated by three pupils and a teacher residents and the sites left each from St. Mary’s alone to mature.

Saintfield Crime Report

There were 29 crimes reported in the Saintfield area for the month of March 2016, the latest figures available from the PSNI. This is a significant increase on the five incidents reported in January and the six in February.

Anti social behaviour once again tops the table with a total of 10 offences reported in March. This figure does not reflect the probable scale of the problem as by the very nature of the offence, many instances may go unreported.

There was a spate of burglaries, with six crimes reported, followed by five offences of violence or sexual violence. There were two drug offences, two vehicle crimes, two thefts and one report each of criminal damage and shoplifting.

Saintfield residents and businesses need to be more aware of the threat posed by criminals and hooligans and to be more security conscious.

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SAINTFIELD NEWS Saintfield Cycle Ride Success P A G E 6

The Events committee of the SDA staged another very successful social cycle ride on Sunday morning 15th May.

A total of 175 cyclists of all standards entered for the event, which took them on a 35 mile circuit through the picturesque County Down countryside. The course was well signposted and marshalled and the riders were very complimentary about the organisation of the ride.

The SDA would like to thank Vivoxtra for donating the refreshments for the cyclists, the Women’s Institute and committee volunteers for providing the tray bakes and The Rowallane Inn for hosting the riders after the event.

The funds raised will go towards providing attractions for the Saintfield Christmas Fair on Friday 2nd December.

The next cycle ride is the “Pedal the Peninsula” event scheduled for Sunday 11th September, which will take riders on a 53 mile tour around the scenic Ards Peninsula, starting and finishing in Saintfield. Watch for entry details on the SDA website and Facebook page. Waste Ground Developed

The Green committee of the SDA has been hard at work developing the area of waste ground on the Crossgar road adjacent to the Maxol service station. David Hill carried out the manual work at no charge, ably assisted by Lawrence Sullivan and Stuart Johnston. The blinding, barrier, grid matting and Donegal Gold decorative stones were supplied by CES Quarry Products free of charge, which is extremely generous. In the next week or two one large and two medium size planters will be installed. This is another stage completed in the development of the access roads into Saintfield, which will improve the image of the town for visitors and residents alike.

Published as a Community Service by

Saintfield Development Association Registered with The Charity Commission for Northern Ireland (NIC103001)

DTP: Ian Mack Editor: Brian Gamble [email protected]

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