VISION FOR FUTURE SEES OMAGH AS REGIIONAL CAPITAL OF SOUTHWEST
VISION FOR FUTURE SEES OMAGH AS REGIONAL CAPITAL OF SOUTHWEST
By: Wesley Atchison
BY the year 2010 Omagh will be a vibrant town and recognised as the 'regional capital' of the South West of the Province, an uplifting blueprint for the future of the area envisages.
The town will have a new college, thousands more jobs in traditional and new technology industries to halt the emigration of young people and the town's new arts centre will be up and running.
In the field of health there will be enhanced access for all the people of the district to acute hospital and healthcare services based in Omagh.
And these are but a taster of what the highly important 'Omagh 2010 Vision/Strategy' document hopes for the future -with local people taking
the lead
Overall the strategy envisages Omagh as "a vibrant and enterprising place that inspires confidence, excellence, and the development of opportunities for all members of the community."
As Omagh bomb victims slowly rebuild their shattered lives, the major initiative to put spirit back into their town was launched on Friday morning.
Omagh Business Forum unveiled ambitious plans for Omagh 2010, a blueprint for the future of the town following a major programme of re-structuring and investment.
The development of the strategy was led by the Business Forum, which was established in 1998, as a partnership between Omagh Chamber of Commerce and Industry, Omagh District Council, Omagh District Partnership and Omagh Traders Association.
And the 'Omagh 2010' strategy is unique as it represents a vision and plan developed 'by the people of Omagh for the people of Omagh'.
It has been founded on one of the most widespread research and inclusive public consultation programmes ever undertaken in the district.
Between February and May, Pricewaterhouse Coopers, undertook an in depth programme of public opinion and business surveys in the district.
And it has been stressed that the people of the town will continue to play a central role in the implementation of the vision.
"The progress of the plan will be measured and reported on in other words 'Omagh 2010' will not be a plan that sits on the shelf gathering dust," says the document. "As a result the participation, commitment and enthusiasm of the people of Omagh will be required to ensure that the 'Omagh 2010' vision becomes a reality."
And in a message delivered to the launch gathering, NI First Minister, Mr.David Trimble, said that while the vision was a tough challenge he believed the people of Omagh had the imagination, the creativity, the steadfastness and the resolve to make it happen.
As Mr. Trimble was unable to be present due to the pressure of work in Belfast the message was presented by his wife, Daphne, who said Omagh was a town for which she had great affection and admiration, pointing out that her grandparents came from the town.
The Deputy First Minister, Mr. Seamus Mallon, was there to lend his support to the document and told the Tyrone Constitution at a Press conference following the launch that investment was essential to the town a matter he would raise with his Executive colleagues.
He said that the document's priorities of vibrancy, an enterprising economy, educational excellence, quality healthcare, culture and tourism were all shared in the Executive's draft Programme for Government.
In one section of the document to make the 'Omagh 2010' vision come to life the views and aspirations of the people of Omagh have been projected into a future scenario of life in the town at the end of this decade.
Model
It will be recognised as a model of effective regeneration. It will be a place of variety and activity, combining quality shopping, business activity, leisure and entertainment activities. The River Strule flowing through the centre of the town will have acted as a catalyst for much of the regeneration activity, the document says.
The Vision foresees the town "turning to face the river". It envisages a number of exciting developments visually transforming the river banks, including a Civic Arts Centre, a hotel and leisure complex, a state-of-the-art college, a riverside walk and cycle path, a cultural quarter and a host of modern apartments.
College students and young people from outside the region will have been attracted to Omagh by the excellent education, safe streets, healthy lifestyle and excellent job prospects.
Outward migration of young people will have been halved in the decade from 2000 to 2010. Young people will be staying because their hometown offers career opportunities, competitive salaries and an enjoyable lifestyle.
The working population of Omagh, according to the Vision, will have increased to over 23,500 with at least half of the 4,500 new jobs created in key target 'new economy' areas, including Information and Communications Technologies (ICT) and knowledge based industries.
Life to the full
The document envisages residents of Omagh as "living life to the full"in 2010 - the town surrounded "by beautiful natural resources which are protected by a conservation and environmental ethic".
Exciting cultural, historical and entertainment attractions will provide residents with many leisure time activities. These attractions will also enhance the the tourist appeal of the Omagh area, enabling the tourist industry to realise a greater contribution to the local economy. The town of Omagh, in 10 years time, has a thriving evening economy which has enabled it to attract and host flagship festivals and concerts.
By the year 2010 "Omagh has a strong and positive image and the town has an enviable national and international reputation as a vibrant and enterprising place to live, visit and invest in."
Mr. Mallon, in officially launching the document, said it not been created by consultants, academics, or politicians, but had been devised by the people of Omagh through an inclusive consultative process.
He said that in the wake of the August 1998 bomb the people of Omagh had shown great courage and also now in setting out their own vision for the future.
The Deputy First Minister said that partnership was the key to 'the future prosperity and development of our urban infrastructure'.
Said Mr. Mallon: "In moving forward today with the Omagh 2010 Strategy, there is an obvious need to remember the past with dignity while ensuring that destiny is not frustrated.
"In common with many other town centres, Omagh faces a number of challenges in co-ordinating a response as you work to create 'a vibrant and enterprising place that inspires confidence, excellence and the development of opportunities for all members of the community.'
"This strategy is unique to Omagh and has been shaped and fashioned by the local community. Trust, respect and compassion will flow from this local ownership and partnership. Your priorities of vibrancy, an enterprising economy, educational excellence, quality healthcare, culture and tourism are all shared in the Executive's draft Programme for Government.
"The people of Omagh have proven to all of us that they possess the skills and instincts necessary to build for the future. Now you can simply do what you have already proven that you do best by continuing to work as a single community and by continuing to inspire us," said Mr. Mallon.
In his message, delivered by his wife Daphne, First Minister, Mr. Trimble said that Omagh had become synonymous with triumph in the face of adversity, and there could be no doubt that its reputation as a survivor was well deserved.
"But to have a life worth living the area must do more than survive. The Omagh 2010 strategy provides an important blueprint for economic and social growth, setting out challenges and delivering a comprehensive plan for managing future prosperity.
"You have laid out a road map for the future that is less than 10 years away. This is a tough challenge but the people of Omagh have the imagination, the creativity, the steadfastness and the resolve to make it happen," Mr. Trimble said.
The chairman of Omagh District Council, Mr. Liam McQuaid, told the launch that the council, in keeping with its well established commitment to partnership arrangements, firmly believed that by working in partnership with the Chamber of Commerce and Industry, the Traders Association, the statutory sector and the community, the strategy for the repackaging of Omagh would be delivered.
"This is central to attracting investment to the town and to the district as whole," he said.
Mr. McQuaid continued: "Omagh District Council is committed to putting Omagh in the spotlight for all the right reasons during the first decade of the new millennium. We recognise that to do so will require an immense amount of hard work. Developing a strategy is one thing, implementation of that strategy is an entirely different matter."
Mr. McQuaid said he was confident that the First Minister and Deputy First Minister shared the desire of the people of the Omagh district to see the regeneration of the area as a vibrant commercial area.
He said he hoped that Mr. Mallon would carry back with him the message that a multi-agency task force in Omagh was essential to delivering the vision that had been witnessed.
"We are confident that through focused and positive action, we can achieve all our future goals. With the unique problems of Omagh, this will require a special focus by local people and by government alike. I trust that all concerned will play their part."
Mr. McQuaid added: "This morning's launch has been a most successful event and 1 congratulate all those involved and, in particular, the staff of Omagh Business Forum for their sterling work. Today is the culmination of two years hard work following on from the launch, in the aftermath of the Omagh bomb, of the Omagh District Council-led Omagh Renewal and Beyond Initiative. From what we have witnessed, it has been very worthwhile."
By: Wesley Atchison
BY the year 2010 Omagh will be a vibrant town and recognised as the 'regional capital' of the South West of the Province, an uplifting blueprint for the future of the area envisages.
The town will have a new college, thousands more jobs in traditional and new technology industries to halt the emigration of young people and the town's new arts centre will be up and running.
In the field of health there will be enhanced access for all the people of the district to acute hospital and healthcare services based in Omagh.
And these are but a taster of what the highly important 'Omagh 2010 Vision/Strategy' document hopes for the future -with local people taking
the lead
Overall the strategy envisages Omagh as "a vibrant and enterprising place that inspires confidence, excellence, and the development of opportunities for all members of the community."
As Omagh bomb victims slowly rebuild their shattered lives, the major initiative to put spirit back into their town was launched on Friday morning.
Omagh Business Forum unveiled ambitious plans for Omagh 2010, a blueprint for the future of the town following a major programme of re-structuring and investment.
The development of the strategy was led by the Business Forum, which was established in 1998, as a partnership between Omagh Chamber of Commerce and Industry, Omagh District Council, Omagh District Partnership and Omagh Traders Association.
And the 'Omagh 2010' strategy is unique as it represents a vision and plan developed 'by the people of Omagh for the people of Omagh'.
It has been founded on one of the most widespread research and inclusive public consultation programmes ever undertaken in the district.
Between February and May, Pricewaterhouse Coopers, undertook an in depth programme of public opinion and business surveys in the district.
And it has been stressed that the people of the town will continue to play a central role in the implementation of the vision.
"The progress of the plan will be measured and reported on in other words 'Omagh 2010' will not be a plan that sits on the shelf gathering dust," says the document. "As a result the participation, commitment and enthusiasm of the people of Omagh will be required to ensure that the 'Omagh 2010' vision becomes a reality."
And in a message delivered to the launch gathering, NI First Minister, Mr.David Trimble, said that while the vision was a tough challenge he believed the people of Omagh had the imagination, the creativity, the steadfastness and the resolve to make it happen.
As Mr. Trimble was unable to be present due to the pressure of work in Belfast the message was presented by his wife, Daphne, who said Omagh was a town for which she had great affection and admiration, pointing out that her grandparents came from the town.
The Deputy First Minister, Mr. Seamus Mallon, was there to lend his support to the document and told the Tyrone Constitution at a Press conference following the launch that investment was essential to the town a matter he would raise with his Executive colleagues.
He said that the document's priorities of vibrancy, an enterprising economy, educational excellence, quality healthcare, culture and tourism were all shared in the Executive's draft Programme for Government.
In one section of the document to make the 'Omagh 2010' vision come to life the views and aspirations of the people of Omagh have been projected into a future scenario of life in the town at the end of this decade.
Model
It will be recognised as a model of effective regeneration. It will be a place of variety and activity, combining quality shopping, business activity, leisure and entertainment activities. The River Strule flowing through the centre of the town will have acted as a catalyst for much of the regeneration activity, the document says.
The Vision foresees the town "turning to face the river". It envisages a number of exciting developments visually transforming the river banks, including a Civic Arts Centre, a hotel and leisure complex, a state-of-the-art college, a riverside walk and cycle path, a cultural quarter and a host of modern apartments.
College students and young people from outside the region will have been attracted to Omagh by the excellent education, safe streets, healthy lifestyle and excellent job prospects.
Outward migration of young people will have been halved in the decade from 2000 to 2010. Young people will be staying because their hometown offers career opportunities, competitive salaries and an enjoyable lifestyle.
The working population of Omagh, according to the Vision, will have increased to over 23,500 with at least half of the 4,500 new jobs created in key target 'new economy' areas, including Information and Communications Technologies (ICT) and knowledge based industries.
Life to the full
The document envisages residents of Omagh as "living life to the full"in 2010 - the town surrounded "by beautiful natural resources which are protected by a conservation and environmental ethic".
Exciting cultural, historical and entertainment attractions will provide residents with many leisure time activities. These attractions will also enhance the the tourist appeal of the Omagh area, enabling the tourist industry to realise a greater contribution to the local economy. The town of Omagh, in 10 years time, has a thriving evening economy which has enabled it to attract and host flagship festivals and concerts.
By the year 2010 "Omagh has a strong and positive image and the town has an enviable national and international reputation as a vibrant and enterprising place to live, visit and invest in."
Mr. Mallon, in officially launching the document, said it not been created by consultants, academics, or politicians, but had been devised by the people of Omagh through an inclusive consultative process.
He said that in the wake of the August 1998 bomb the people of Omagh had shown great courage and also now in setting out their own vision for the future.
The Deputy First Minister said that partnership was the key to 'the future prosperity and development of our urban infrastructure'.
Said Mr. Mallon: "In moving forward today with the Omagh 2010 Strategy, there is an obvious need to remember the past with dignity while ensuring that destiny is not frustrated.
"In common with many other town centres, Omagh faces a number of challenges in co-ordinating a response as you work to create 'a vibrant and enterprising place that inspires confidence, excellence and the development of opportunities for all members of the community.'
"This strategy is unique to Omagh and has been shaped and fashioned by the local community. Trust, respect and compassion will flow from this local ownership and partnership. Your priorities of vibrancy, an enterprising economy, educational excellence, quality healthcare, culture and tourism are all shared in the Executive's draft Programme for Government.
"The people of Omagh have proven to all of us that they possess the skills and instincts necessary to build for the future. Now you can simply do what you have already proven that you do best by continuing to work as a single community and by continuing to inspire us," said Mr. Mallon.
In his message, delivered by his wife Daphne, First Minister, Mr. Trimble said that Omagh had become synonymous with triumph in the face of adversity, and there could be no doubt that its reputation as a survivor was well deserved.
"But to have a life worth living the area must do more than survive. The Omagh 2010 strategy provides an important blueprint for economic and social growth, setting out challenges and delivering a comprehensive plan for managing future prosperity.
"You have laid out a road map for the future that is less than 10 years away. This is a tough challenge but the people of Omagh have the imagination, the creativity, the steadfastness and the resolve to make it happen," Mr. Trimble said.
The chairman of Omagh District Council, Mr. Liam McQuaid, told the launch that the council, in keeping with its well established commitment to partnership arrangements, firmly believed that by working in partnership with the Chamber of Commerce and Industry, the Traders Association, the statutory sector and the community, the strategy for the repackaging of Omagh would be delivered.
"This is central to attracting investment to the town and to the district as whole," he said.
Mr. McQuaid continued: "Omagh District Council is committed to putting Omagh in the spotlight for all the right reasons during the first decade of the new millennium. We recognise that to do so will require an immense amount of hard work. Developing a strategy is one thing, implementation of that strategy is an entirely different matter."
Mr. McQuaid said he was confident that the First Minister and Deputy First Minister shared the desire of the people of the Omagh district to see the regeneration of the area as a vibrant commercial area.
He said he hoped that Mr. Mallon would carry back with him the message that a multi-agency task force in Omagh was essential to delivering the vision that had been witnessed.
"We are confident that through focused and positive action, we can achieve all our future goals. With the unique problems of Omagh, this will require a special focus by local people and by government alike. I trust that all concerned will play their part."
Mr. McQuaid added: "This morning's launch has been a most successful event and 1 congratulate all those involved and, in particular, the staff of Omagh Business Forum for their sterling work. Today is the culmination of two years hard work following on from the launch, in the aftermath of the Omagh bomb, of the Omagh District Council-led Omagh Renewal and Beyond Initiative. From what we have witnessed, it has been very worthwhile."
Further Information
Publisher: TYRONE CONSTITUTION
Ref: TC/1584
Published Date: 16-Nov-00
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