Today in North Belfast, 174 Trust – a cross-community, Christian, community development organisation – celebrated the unveiling of plans for their new Centre for Culture, Arts and Heritage.

Funded primarily by the International Fund for Ireland and the Heritage Lottery Fund, the £2.5 million development situated at the Duncairn Complex, Antrim Road, will see the former Presbyterian church restored and transformed into a centre for Culture, Arts and Heritage. The new building will greatly transform the existing facilities in the Duncairn Complex, which currently caters for over 800 people a week from the local area.

The new facilities will offer the people of North Belfast and the surrounding areas a shared space to meet. The services on offer include: a café/restaurant, bookshop, exhibition space, a tourist information kiosk and performing arts space.

174 Trust provides opportunities and facilities for Catholics and Protestants to come together to enjoy a variety of programmes such as: a pre-school nursery, after-school club, disability club for children, older peoples group, events for youth groups, and young carers projects. The organisation is committed to developing further links between the communities and encourages local residents to meet in the neutral shared space and to participate in the various activities.

Anne Henderson, Board Member of the International Fund for Ireland, said at the launch: “The International Fund for Ireland funded this project as part of our Leaving a Legacy Programme which supports innovative community projects that seek to address division and promote reconciliation between all sections of the community.

“While Northern Ireland has made tremendous progress towards becoming a more positive, peaceful and stable society, we have to face the reality that many communities still remain segregated. The Fund remains committed to supporting projects, such as this, which have the potential to deliver and sustain positive impacts within and between local communities long after the Fund ceases to exist.”

Jane Williams, Committee Representative of the Heritage Lottery Fund Northern Ireland, said: “This carefully planned restoration of the old Duncairn Church will preserve the old features of the building and provide a great space to be enjoyed by all members of the community. We are very excited about the Project and will be following the developments with interest.”

Bill Shaw, Director of 174 Trust, said: “We are proud to be able to unveil our plans today for the development of the Centre for Culture, Arts and Heritage.  This is a celebration of what has already been a long process to secure the building for development.

“Along with our continued work of promoting peace and reconciliation, we hope in the long term to attract tenants that will provide the Trust with income and opportunities to help job creation as well as social and cultural development.”

It is hoped that tendering for the building work will commence in June 2011 and be completed by December 2013.

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