COMMUNITY HOUSE PLAN FOR BOMB SITE
Community House plan for bomb site
Plans for the redevelopment of the Market Street bomb site were unveiled on Monday by Omagh District Council.
The provisional date for the commencement of work is set for late summer.
The main development on the site will be a community house which will incorporate a memorial to the victims of the bombing. Eleven community groups will use the facility as a base for their work and to enable the public to avail of the facility as a single entity.
At present the various groups are strewn around the town and it is hoped that with them coming together, the use of their services will be maximised.
The house will also incorporate three of the businesses that were destroyed in the bomb. Kevin O'Gara, of Omagh Heritage Initiative Company Ltd, council said: "The community groups, the business and the council have been working together to bring about this extremely worthwhile development.
The community house is designed to facilitate community organisations which will have a central building from which to operate. The house is part of the response to the August 1998 disaster and it is felt that it will be of benefit to the whole community.
"The council is committed to putting its land and the three property owners have agreed to a single development.
"It is a unique development, something of this type has never been undertaken before and it will be well worth the long and difficult battle, in the long term it will be seen as an important part of the healing process.
"From Omagh District Council's point of view, we are delighted to see the four groups come together. The architects are Barry Gallagher and Peter Dolan, representing two separate firms coming together to support this excellent scheme.
"In addition to building the community house we see it as the first phase of the Riverside Development scheme which it is hoped, will create a walkway from the Drumragh Bridge to the Old Marketplace. This will create the opportunity for improving the overall effect of the town.
"The foyer of the community house as well as the surrounding areas will provide the development of an appropriate memorial and that is currently being researched."
The project, which has been in operation for sixteen months suffered a setback when one of the business owners involved in negotiations at an advanced stage.
One of the property owners involved is Jay Maguire who was the proprietor of the Kozy Corner bar and off licence. He now runs Steeples restaurant in Castle Street. He said : "It is an excellent plan and I'm glad to see it coming about. It gives the whole town something to look forward to.
"I had been in the Kozy Corner for 35 years and it was like a second home, especially to the family who had grown up with it."
He said that it was hoped the groundwork for the house would get under way in the near future.
Speaking on behalf of the community groups, Conor McGale said the the community house would provide for Mencap, the Advice Centre, Focus, The Women's Area Network, Omagh Forum for Rural Associations, the Omagh Churches Forum, Omagh Ethnic Community and Support Group, NIPA and Letts Go West. Conor also pointed out that there was the possibility of opening a cyber cafe in the building.
He said: "One of the many benefits of the building will be the fact that people will be able to share the resources and the various equipment. They will have access to it for training and for various meetings."
Barry McMenamin, also representing the community groups said "It will mean that all the organisation will be able to be networked. When they are all in the same building it means that people don't have to walk all around the town if they want to visit a few groups. They will be able to do all their business in one go.
Also if all the businesses are under one roof it means that they will be able to share finances which makes it easier for everyone involved."
The architects involved in the building of the house, John McBride, Architects and Design partnership and Peter Dolan from Dolan McBride Partnership, will ensure the different needs of their clients as well as creating a building of the highest architectural standard.
Plans for the redevelopment of the Market Street bomb site were unveiled on Monday by Omagh District Council.
The provisional date for the commencement of work is set for late summer.
The main development on the site will be a community house which will incorporate a memorial to the victims of the bombing. Eleven community groups will use the facility as a base for their work and to enable the public to avail of the facility as a single entity.
At present the various groups are strewn around the town and it is hoped that with them coming together, the use of their services will be maximised.
The house will also incorporate three of the businesses that were destroyed in the bomb. Kevin O'Gara, of Omagh Heritage Initiative Company Ltd, council said: "The community groups, the business and the council have been working together to bring about this extremely worthwhile development.
The community house is designed to facilitate community organisations which will have a central building from which to operate. The house is part of the response to the August 1998 disaster and it is felt that it will be of benefit to the whole community.
"The council is committed to putting its land and the three property owners have agreed to a single development.
"It is a unique development, something of this type has never been undertaken before and it will be well worth the long and difficult battle, in the long term it will be seen as an important part of the healing process.
"From Omagh District Council's point of view, we are delighted to see the four groups come together. The architects are Barry Gallagher and Peter Dolan, representing two separate firms coming together to support this excellent scheme.
"In addition to building the community house we see it as the first phase of the Riverside Development scheme which it is hoped, will create a walkway from the Drumragh Bridge to the Old Marketplace. This will create the opportunity for improving the overall effect of the town.
"The foyer of the community house as well as the surrounding areas will provide the development of an appropriate memorial and that is currently being researched."
The project, which has been in operation for sixteen months suffered a setback when one of the business owners involved in negotiations at an advanced stage.
One of the property owners involved is Jay Maguire who was the proprietor of the Kozy Corner bar and off licence. He now runs Steeples restaurant in Castle Street. He said : "It is an excellent plan and I'm glad to see it coming about. It gives the whole town something to look forward to.
"I had been in the Kozy Corner for 35 years and it was like a second home, especially to the family who had grown up with it."
He said that it was hoped the groundwork for the house would get under way in the near future.
Speaking on behalf of the community groups, Conor McGale said the the community house would provide for Mencap, the Advice Centre, Focus, The Women's Area Network, Omagh Forum for Rural Associations, the Omagh Churches Forum, Omagh Ethnic Community and Support Group, NIPA and Letts Go West. Conor also pointed out that there was the possibility of opening a cyber cafe in the building.
He said: "One of the many benefits of the building will be the fact that people will be able to share the resources and the various equipment. They will have access to it for training and for various meetings."
Barry McMenamin, also representing the community groups said "It will mean that all the organisation will be able to be networked. When they are all in the same building it means that people don't have to walk all around the town if they want to visit a few groups. They will be able to do all their business in one go.
Also if all the businesses are under one roof it means that they will be able to share finances which makes it easier for everyone involved."
The architects involved in the building of the house, John McBride, Architects and Design partnership and Peter Dolan from Dolan McBride Partnership, will ensure the different needs of their clients as well as creating a building of the highest architectural standard.
Further Information
Publisher: ULSTER HERALD
Ref: UH/1337
Published Date: 16-Mar-00
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