T22-095ENV PEACE IV Riverine Community Park Community Heritage Engagement Programme

Tender description

This tender, known as Community Heritage Engagement Programme, will engage the people of the area with the environmental and cultural heritage in their local area, by planning and running a series of heritage events and development of heritage materials. A cultural showcase will be developed, which will focus on the Ulster Scots/Irish cultures and be launched on an outdoor stage. Themes will include research, choreography, music, costume design, drama, rehearsal and performance. These will all be used to tell the story of the area. This will highlight the local talent and be co-ordinated with an international-type act. The programme will also include the development of interpretation and educational interface and materials that will inform users of heritage of the river and its species. It will include: 1 new audio visual display; 6 new interpretative boards; 10 new educational publications; 1 new cultural heritage group established; Genealogy, place names, language and folklore; and the history of the river economy. It is for the development and delivery of a programme of cross-community, cross-border project for local communities to contribute creatively to the development of the Riverine Community Park in the Strabane/Lifford area. The objective of the programme for deliverers is to bring communities together and research issues which have impacted on shared space and it will be led predominantly by the community and voluntary sectors. Given recent restrictions on social interaction due to Covid 19, the deliverers may wish to include detail on alternative ways to deliver the programme, for the foreseeable future. There may be examples on alternative delivery methods from current PEACE IV/Shared Space Programme deliverers. The Riverine Community Park Project is funded by the SEUPB PEACE IV Programme 2014–2020 as a shared space capital development together with the Dept. for Communities (NI) and the Dept. for Communities and Rural Development (ROI). Donegal County Council (DCC) are the Lead Partner for the Project while Derry City and Strabane District Council (DCSDC) act as Project Partner. The Community Heritage Engagement Programme will work with local people and instil confidence, whilst inspiring them to re-engage with communities with their cultural heritage, re-connecting with their rivers to revitalise the once thriving border area. Due to a lack of physical access, sustained animation and interpretive resources, the people of the valley have become disconnected from the river and its associated heritage. Where once the Foyle was awash with canal barge, salmon boats, ferries and ships, it is now empty and unfrequented. Lack of engagement with the river has been compounded by a contested UK/ROI border which will likely intensify as a result of Brexit. By undertaking physical access improvements to the river and marine heritage assets, in conjunction with animation and interpretation, the Riverine project will ensure the river becomes a positive, vibrant hub of activity once again before our built, natural and cultural heritage assets become lost from the landscape. Please refer to CfT documents for further details.