Doury Road Development Group launch publication

The publication is the first of a series tracing the background to the group, the difficulties they have encountered and how they overcame issues to get Doury Road estate back on track and the only estate outside Belfast to be included in Department For Social Development’s Pilot Project “Building Successful Communities”

Chairman David McGuckin opened the event by welcoming the new Mid and East Antrim Mayor Billy Ashe to the estate and giving a short talk on the hopes that Doury Road will no longer be “The Forgotten Estate”. That it is now entering an exciting time of change and regeneration that will improve Doury Road into a place people want to move to.

The group have worked hard over the years to improve the quality of life for all of the residents, and with the support and funding received from Community Foundation of Northern Ireland, and Department for Social Development’s Areas at Risk Programmes. Doury Road Development Group will continue to work and build on the strong community spirit within the estate.

Some of the group’s achievements to date include: replacing the traditional bonfire with an environmentally friendly beacon; a number of litter picks and area clean-ups; developing murals with the young people of the estate which have made a big difference to the area’s appearance; and offering a range of training courses and activities for all residents of the area, bringing the community together.

Plans for the future include further physical improvements to the Doury Road, such as developing the wasteground at the centre of the estate, working to resolve the issue of dereliction, and securing a new community centre for the estate. This is now the most critical period for the Doury Road Development Group and all members are working hard to sustain and build on all the improvements they have achieved over the last number of years.