Foster welcomes launch of £5.6million Termon project

Date published: 14 December 2015

The twin villages, on the border of Fermanagh and Donegal, were awarded funding under the Creating Shared Public Spaces theme of the EU PEACE III Programme. Match funding was provided by the Department for Social Development (DSD) in Northern Ireland and the Department for the Environment, Community and Local Government (DECLG) in Ireland.

The project, led by Donegal County Council, in partnership with Fermanagh and Omagh District Council and the Association for the Development of Pettigo and Tullyhommon (ADoPT), aims to support greater cross community and cross-border engagement.

The funding has enabled development of the Termon Complex, a multi-purpose community facility comprising a black box theatre, sporting facilities, pre-school childcare facility, play-park and a Welcome Centre as well as the refurbishment of the Methodist Hall.

Speaking at the launch, Arlene Foster said: “One of the main priorities of the EU PEACE III Programme was to create new shared public spaces that have the potential to truly transform communities. We can clearly see the outworking of that funding in the magnificent new facilities and regeneration activity here in Pettigo and Tullyhommon.

“The most important aspect of a project such as this is the impact that it can have on building and supporting new relationships. I am certain that the Termon Project will have a lasting legacy, both in its new shared spaces, and in resulting stronger links between communities.”

Minister for Social Development, Mervyn Storey MLA, said: “The villages of Tullyhommon and Pettigo have demonstrated what can be achieved through the ambition and determination of communities coming together and working towards a common goal. The Termon Project, developed around the natural asset of the river creates a regenerated space for both communities encouraging greater engagement and it is another outstanding example of the positive impact that the Creating Shared Public Spaces priority has had in Northern Ireland and the Border Regions.”

Significant regeneration has been facilitated in both villages, through development of a riverside park, construction of a pedestrian footbridge linking the villages across the River Termon, and environmental work including river cleaning, streetscape improvements, and a heritage architectural project to refresh the appearance of buildings.

An associated Community in Action Plan aims to promote social cohesion and ensure the new facilities are widely accessed by the whole community.