BY MARK McKELVEY
m.mckelvey@ulsterherald.com
AFTER five tenuous years fighting for funding to redevelop the Hospital Road Community Centre, Omagh District Council has allocated £350,000 for the project that is due to commence in September.
Before then however, the Hospital Road Community Association is asking local residents to come forward with any ideas how they feel this money can be best utilised.
Chairman of the Community Association, Rodney Monteith, thanked all those involved in making this possible and outlined what the project will entail.
He said, "The committee has been working hard for the past five to six years trying to secure funding for this project from a wide range of sources, and it is great relief now that the council has taken control of the project. At last there is light at the end of the tunnel.
"There are over a thousand houses in the area and the centre is used by a wide range of groups; playgroups, Surestart, after school, senior citizens and many more. But what we really need is more space so we can offer these groups their own areas and more time to use the facilities.
"Hopefully work will start in September and will last no more than a year, but we are hoping that we will only have to close for a short period of time during the renovations."
Local DUP Cllr Clive McFarland has welcomed the commencement of the community survey in the Hospital Road area linked to the renovation of the community centre.
Cllr McFarland said, "Anyone who uses the Hospital Road Community Centre will know that the facilities are in need of modernisation but the work which will be carried out on the centre will provide a first class centre for the use of everyone in the community.
"I would encourage everyone in the Hospital Road area to take part in the community survey and have an input into the future direction of the community centre.
"Anyone who has not previously used the community centre can now have a fresh opportunity to get involved and they would be made most welcome by everyone if they wanted to take a hand in helping the running of this centre which relies heavily on the people of the area to make it a success."
If you have any suggestions how to use this vital funding, contact Rena Weir at the Community Centre on 028 8224 4426.
