Two new retail units have been officially opened at a county Armagh YMCA.
The YMCA project which saw the fit out of two new retail units at the YMCA Lurgan, was delivered with an official handover held on Friday, September 22.
The project, funded by the Social Investment Fund under the Northern Ireland Executive’s Delivering Social Change framework, was led by Armagh City, Banbridge and Craigavon Borough Council.
Having received £274,196.00 funding through the Social Investment Fund, the YMCA project aims to address dereliction with the successful fit out of these two retail units.
Tenants have been secured for the units that will generate income to support YMCA Lurgan to deliver their youth work in the local community and also enhance the community facilities within the Carnegie Street area.
Council procured providers, Michael Herron Architects and Ernest Watt and Sons who delivered the design and construction work respectively.
Attending the handover Deputy Lord Mayor of Armagh City, Banbridge and Craigavon, Councillor Sam Nicholson commented: “It is great to be here today to see the borough’s first Social Investment Fund project come to fruition.
“These retail units will provide essential economic and social sustainability for YMCA Lurgan, allowing them to further their work with young people in our local community.”
Delivering Social Change is the Executive’s framework, set up to tackle poverty and social exclusion. It aims to deliver a sustained reduction in poverty and associated issues across all ages and to improve children and young people’s health, well-being and life opportunities thereby breaking the long term cycle of multigenerational problems.
Armagh City, Banbridge and Craigavon Borough Council has been appointed to deliver a range of capital projects for the Social Investment Fund in the Southern Zone, which aims to make life better for people in targeted areas by increasing employment opportunities, addressing deprivation, increasing services in the community, and addressing dereliction.
