COMMUNITIES Minister Deirdre Hargey has visited three projects in Ardoyne, the Bone and Bawnmore.
The visit started in Bawnmore where she met community groups and statutory agencies to advance the project to deliver a Multi-Use Games Arena (MUGA) 4G pitch to the area.
The visit continued in Ardoyne and the Bone areas where Minister Hargey was joined by Lord Mayor, Councillor Tina Black.
In Ardoyne, the Minister was updated on the new Health and Wellbeing Hub on the site of the former St Gemma's girls school, which includes housing.
Finally, there was a visit to the Bone for an update on a a £3.4 million redevelopment of Marrowbone Park.
Work will include the installation of a new play park, upgrades to the 3G pitch, a new multi-use games area, a new pavilion and additional improvements to the site to enable large scale community events to be hosted in the future.
North Belfast Sinn Féin MLA Gerry Kelly said: “I was delighted to welcome Minister Hargey to North Belfast this week where we have visited projects in Bawnmore and Ardoyne which her department are supporting.
“It was down to business in Bawnmore where we met with community groups and statutory agencies to advance the project to deliver a MUGA 4G pitch to the area.
BAWNMORE VISIT: North Belfast Sinn Féin MLA Gerry Kelly, Seamus Kelly (Bawnmore Residents Association), Communities Minister Deirdre Hargey and Sinn Féin councillor Taylor McGrann
“The facility would aim to provide a multi-use pitch for GAA and soccer in an area where demand is high but provision falls short.
“It was great to be joined by Lord Mayor, Christina Black in Ardoyne as we visited two fantastic local multi-million pound projects.
“The Work of the ABC Trust at the old St Gemma's School site which has already delivered high quality homes is a credit to the activism of the Ardoyne community.
Communities Minister Deirdre Hargey and guests visited the old St Gemma's site in Ardoyne
“We were briefed on the new health and wellbeing hub which will provide much-needed support for residents and be a major asset for surrounding communities with such high health inequalities.
“Finally it was time to check on the progress at the Bone Hills being developed into a brilliant sporting complex.
“This £3.4m project will address much of the sporting and recreational needs of Ardoyne and the Bone when completed.
“Each project has been a hard fight to deliver and it is good to see real progress and for local people to meet the Minister and Lord Mayor.
“The work must go on and the political crisis can’t be allowed to stop us delivering for citizens.
“We have seen what is possible with determination, activism and through working together and clearly more can be done with properly functioning institutions.
“The transformation we are seeing here today is a tribute to the communities that have worked tirelessly and who have overcome every hurdle in the way and there’s a real sense that progress is being made as these developments take shape.”
