CitywideThe Magazine for Lisburn & Castlereagh City Council Residents Issue 2 :: May 2016 3 The Queen’s 90th Birthday 4 Community Planning Update 6 Summer Activities In Our Leisure Facilities 12 Supporting Local Businesses lisburncastlereagh.gov.uk 14 Council Sets Lowest Rates OFFICE OF MAYOR2015 2016 Citywide - Welcome to Citywide Welcome to Issue 2 of Lisburn & The Council has now been in operation for just over a year Castlereagh City Council’s Citywide magazine. and I am delighted to represent it as Mayor. My engagements If you would like to contact us, come thick and fast and I have fantastic support from fellow you can email us at: Elected Members of Council and our Officers. I would like to [email protected] thank my wife Linda, Mayoress, and my children, Amy, Joel or telephone the and Robbie for all the support they have provided during this Marketing & Communications extremely busy year. I am often absent from home in the Unit at Lagan Valley Island on: evenings because of the many engagements I attend and I T: 028 9250 9221 have had plenty of understanding, not to mention latitude or write to us at: so I want to acknowledge that. Freepost RTST-LJKZ-JRXY Marketing & Communications Unit My Mayoral Charity, the Mary Peters Trust, June, Park Life during the summer months Lisburn & Castlereagh City Council Civic Centre has worked alongside me, and, through and the Ulster Grand Prix, not to mention the Lagan Valley Island donations received, we hope to see aspiring numerous family-focused City Centre events 1 The Island athletes from all walks of life achieve their and activities within our parks. Lisburn ambitions, whilst of course encouraging BT27 4RL the essential enjoyment and love of sport. I I was very pleased to see the Circuit of Ireland Every care has been taken to cannot think of a more suitable mentor and start held here in Lisburn and very much ensure that all the information inspiration than Dame Mary Peters CH DBE enjoyed the Mayor’s Parade. contained in Citywide is correct to this regard and I wish to put on record at the time of going to print. my thanks to the Mary Peter’s Trust and to Community Celebration Grants for our local However, you are advised to everyone who has contributed to my Charity. groups were made available and applications confirm times and dates of are now being processed as one of our events in advance in case any The first year of the Council has brought initiatives for the Queen’s 90th Birthday. changes occur. plenty of personal highlights. I have been to I am looking forward to a special Tea Party all parts of the expanded Council area and for senior citizens also celebrating their 90th Lisburn & Castlereagh City met so many people. Of course some visits birthday, which will be held in the Island Hall Council, on request, will take all stay in your mind, and one is the visit I made on the 6th of June; and to the 21-Gun Royal reasonable steps to provide this to the Ulster Hospital last Christmas; where it Salute to take place in Hillsborough Fort on document in alternative formats was an honour and privilege to meet families, 11th June. and in minority languages to meet with their children, and the dedicated nursing the needs of those who are staff. I have met so many memorable people, I extend my thanks to everyone who has not fluent in English. including three ladies who marked their 100th supported me and I acknowledge the privilege birthdays and one lady who marked of holding the position of Mayor. © Lisburn & Castlereagh her 103rd. City Council 2016. My Mayor’s Awards, which were held earlier Photographs and articles in this year, serve to acknowledge the kindness this publication may not be and dedication of the many volunteers in the reproduced without prior area; and I cannot commend this work highly consent from the Editor. enough. In partnership with Coca-Cola HBC, I was proud to present bursary awards to six young people from the area to aid with charity i work, music and community endeavours. Interested in regular e-zine updates from As we move into the events season, I look THE RIGHT WORSHIPFUL THE MAYOR forward to the Half Marathon on the 15th the Council? COUNCILLOR THOMAS BECKETT Please email [email protected] with your contact details and the The official charity of the Mayor of areas that you would like to Lisburn & Castlereagh City Council. receive information on. 2 LISBURN & CASTLEREAGH CELEBRATES QUEENS BIRTHDAY CELEBRATIONS THEBANNER QUEEN AND BEACON’S 90TH BIRTHDAY To mark Queen Elizabeth II’s 90th birthday, Communities across Lisburn and Castlereagh will be celebrating this historic occasion, The Council launched its Queen’s Birthday funded by grants made available by the Council. Celebration Grants in March. A Beacon Lighting was held in Castle The Council will host a 21-Gun Royal Gardens on the 21st April in line with Salute on Saturday 11th June. This will UK-wide Beacon Lightings to celebrate take place at Hillsborough Fort and the Queen’s 90th Birthday. The Mayor a limited number of free-of-charge also launched details of an Afternoon tickets have been made available. Tea Party which will take place on Monday 6th June for residents who are There is also an Exhibition at the Irish celebrating their 90th Birthday in 2016. Linen Centre which includes royal Residents interested in attending should memorabilia, photographs and contact the Mayor’s Office on footage of the Queen’s visits to Lisburn. T: 028 9250 9331. On the Queen’s 90th Birthday a Banner was unveiled at Lagan Valley Island. Mayor, Councillor Thomas Beckett; Lord Lieutenant Mrs Joan Christie OBE with Dr Theresa Donaldson, Chief Executive; Alderman James Tinsley; Cadet Eve Mathewson and Elected Members The Mayor is hosting an Afternoon Tea Party to be held on of Council at the Monday 6th June in Lagan Valley Island for those people Beacon Lighting. celebrating a 90th Birthday in 2016. Pictured are Peggy Flynn and Elizabeth Hanna who joined Cllr Beckett for Afternoon Tea to launch the event. The Irish Linen Centre and Lisburn Museum is currently hosting two fascinating exhibitions in the run up to Queen Elizabeth II’s 90th birthday. The exhibition entitled ‘The Queen’s Royal Occasion’, showing Lisburn at the 90th Birthday’ will feature the Queen’s time of the Coronation. remarkable life, from 1926 to 2016, first as a royal princess and then since 1952 as the The second exhibition marks the longest serving monarch in history. Centenary of 1916, the pivotal year of World War One. The exhibition features There are displays of royal memorabilia, new displays narrating the events of that Pictured with the First Minister are (l-r) Alderman Paul Porter, photographs and literature relating to year, from local reaction of the Easter Chairman of the Leisure & Community Services Committee; Councillor Thomas Beckett; Dr. Theresa Donaldson, Chief royal visits to Lisburn and Hillsborough, as Rebellion in Dublin, to the Ulster Division’s Executive; Councillor Uel Mackin and Brian Mackey, Irish well as footage of the captivating film, ‘A attack at the river Somme, on the 1st July. Linen Centre & Lisburn Museum. lisburncastlereagh.gov.uk 3 Community Planning Community Planning is agreeing on shared goals to improve all aspects of life in our area through partnership working including public sector agencies, business, voluntary and community organisations and to work with local people. The Council’s Community Plan will identify what we need to do to improve the lives of our citizens. Issues can include social, economic Where are we now? or environmental well-being; access to services, community safety, domestic abuse, drugs and alcohol; education and training, health, Community Conversations housing, jobs, justice, the local economy, natural environment, planning, recreation, sports facilities, transport and waste and Many of you have engaged in information recycling. gathering initiatives, either through our Community Conversations, meetings, by email or telephone calls. The Strategic Community Planning Partnership Here is what you told us you like The Lisburn & Castlereagh Strategic Community Planning and dislike about the area: Partnership is made up of the following organisations: Likes Lisburn & Castlereagh City Council www.lisburncastlereagh.gov.uk Excellent schools and colleges in the area. Police Service of Northern Ireland www.psni.police.uk Great community facilities which host a variety of Northern Ireland Fire & Rescue Service www.nifrs.org activities and events. Northern Ireland Housing Executive www.nihe.gov.uk Wide variety of local businesses and tourism and Public Health Authority www.publichealth.hscni.net leisure attractions, particularly Lagan Valley Health and Social Care Board www.hscboard.hscni.net LeisurePlex and Dundonald International Ice Bowl. Health and Social Care Trust www.setrust.hscni.net Good connectivity to hospitals, airports and other Invest Northern Ireland www.investni.com services. Tourism NI www.tourismni.com Quality of the surrounding countryside, parks and Sport NI www.sportni.net open spaces, especially Moira Demesne, Libraries NI www.librariesni.org.uk Hillsborough, Castle Gardens, Moat Park and Education Authority NI www.eani.org.uk Wallace Park. CCMS www.onlineccms.com South Eastern Regional College www.serc.ac.uk Dislikes The perceived anti-social behaviour especially along Each of the organisations will be represented by someone who the River Lagan. has authority to agree actions and commit resources. Four Elected Restricted opening hours of community facilities Members of Council will sit on this Partnership for the duration of and parks. each term in office. The representatives are: The lack of digital infrastructure. The prevalence of derelict and vacant buildings in Alderman William Leathem, Chairman of Governance and Audit Committee Dundonald, Glenavy and Hillsborough.