Dunclug Partnership have been approached by local residents Patricia O’Neill,Francis McShane and Harry Jordan to look at the possibility for allotments in Dunclug. Colum Best project manager with Dunclug partnership has already contacted Devenonshire Partnership in Eniskillen and found out quite a lot about how they developed their allotments and indeed the problems they encountered in the early stages.
Colum has also had conversation with Stephen Day of Carrickfergus council who has vast experience through the Eden allotment scheme in Carrickfergus.A visit to this site would be good to see at first hand a site that facilitates 189 allotments.
A meeting with Judy Meharg form Groundwork was held on friday 12 February and Judy explained the main issues around criteria for site choice.
Main issues
Ownership of land
Scale and size of site-Does it address the groups objectives?
Current use of land-is it already viewed as a valuable resource?
Are there any planning restrictions on site such as road access or parking ,or planning permission.?
has it been earmarked for future use?.
Is there good access ? -pedestrian ,disabled and vehicular.?
Any rights of way or way leaves?.
Parking?
Perceived ownership?
Access to services e.g water ,electricity?
security of site?
Who would the site affect in the immediate area.Are the neighbouring residents likely to be amenable to the project or to object.
Physical restrictions would include 1.Aspect 2.Shelter 3. Soil 4. Slope 5.Current and previous vegetation 6.Any land contamination.
In discussion with N.I.H.E early indication is that any land they would own in Dunclug is for planning and would be seen quite rightly so as an valuable asset.
Colum suggests that local council should be approached with a view to finding out could they not follow in the path of Carrickfergus and have community allotments .
One suggestion might be to look at the ECOS CENTRE AS A POSSIBILITY FOR SUCH A SITE FOR ALLOTMENTS .
Colum states he will be meeting with Sean Traynor from Ballymena Council to look at possibilities .

Friday 5th.February 2010 may go down in history as this was the first day after an agreement on policing and justice had been obtained.
On this day participants on a Peace 3 programme Leadership,Citizenship,relations programme made a jouney to Omagh to meet with civic and community representatives to learn from their experiences.
Groups represented were from the North East of the province and indeed Dunclug was represented by Colum Best and Bernie Devlin form Dunclug Partnership.
Ballykeel was represented by Ian Roberts ,Roy Heron, Allison Graham and Patricia McNeill.
Christine Rogers CRO Omagh council welcomed everyone to the Omagh Enterprise centre.
there then followed a very informative talk by Allison McCullough Head Of Development Omagh Council on the process that resulted in the build of a memorial garden.
Andrew Scott for Gillygooley youth and community association informed the audience of how the local orange hall has been utilised for the benefits of all in the community.A host of activities are accessed by those interested parties and indeed the committee formed consists of both Protestant and Catholic representatives.
Michael Kelly from Strathroy gave details of activities that his organisation has developed on a nationalist estate that has ethnic minority groups mainly Polish and Irish Travellers.
The estate comprises of 370 households and like many other estates had suffered from anti social behaviour.
Michael explained that hard work and endeavour by his organisation has reaped benefits where all in the community enjoy a better quality of life .
The party then visited the memorial garden and all present were impressed with the work that had gone into the build of this garden.
Certainly whilst I was in the garden it gave me time to reflect on the tragedy of the Omagh bomb.

Bard of Dunclug who features in the display of photographs taken could possibly play some part in the 3D art project members of Dunclug Youth Forum are engaged in.
Watch this space for further information and photographs of the finished art work that promises to be representative of the good work that youth of the Dunclug area engage in.
Dunclug Youth Forum have created a crest for the Dunclug Community Centre using a visual narrative they created,symbols that relate to the young peopleand the youth forum in Dunclug.Following this concept the young people have come up with the concept of a chain”linking the community together”further motifs like charms from a bracelet,will be drawn/painted by both girls and boys that have attnded the art classes and added to the final design.