I was born and brought up in a village called Song Mao in the South of Vietnam. It is about 120 miles to the North-East of Saigon, which is now called Ho Chi Minh City. It is not far from the East Coast, in the county of Binh Thuan, the administrative centre of which is Phan Thiet (famous for fish sauce).

Song Mao only came into existence in the 1950s, when a large number of mainly ethnic Chinese refu-gees arrived from the North, after the French lost the final battle to the Viet Cong at Dien Bien Phu in 1954.

Life in Song Mao was hard, especially after libera-tion. Nobody had anything. Our land, that helped feed a large family, was confiscated. We disap-peared into the jungle, partly to avoid the security services harassment, and partly to clear the forest to reclaim some land for cultivation.

This meant months and months of hard labour, chopping down trees with blunt knives, and digging up tree stumps in the burning sun with little to wear and little to eat. I also looked after water buffalos; hunting wild animals with dogs and spears and catching fish bare handed in the river. There was no certainty of where the next meal would come from.

We ate a lot of wild vegetation and roots while struggling against malaria. The village centre and streets were lifeless, as no private enterprise was allowed.

There were no shops, no cafes, no cinema – noth-ing. There were no street lights, and the place felt abandoned in darkness at night.

We had to create our own entertainment. For me, it was the guitar, learning Chinese and English (mostly self-taught), so that I could gain access to more reading books (books in Vietnamese from the last regime were largely either confiscated or destroyed for being too bourgeois) - I could go on forever, but ……In 1979, on my third attempt, I managed to escape in a wooden fishing boat with two older brothers and 294 others (the second time, I and some others jumped onto a Russian fishing vessel and nearly missed it, as well as nearly being crushed by two vessels, and we had to sleep in grave holes for a week).

We were very fortunate to be picked up by a British cargo ship after a few days in the sea. We stayed on board for about a month near Taiwan harbour.

After the general election in the UK, when Mrs Thatcher was elected as prime minister, we were allowed to come in the UK by means of a chartered flight from Taiwan. We were then transported to three refugee camps in Lincoln, Warwick and Middlesex. After about a month or so, we were told we could not remain at the centre for long, and to resettle either in Scot-land or Northern Ireland.

We sensibly chose the latter on the advice that it had better public transport, and that Scotland would be too cold. So, in September 1979, we took the ferry and arrived in Craigavon to begin a new life.

I had mixed feelings about life in Craigavon. We were made to feel special and welcome in our new home by the many warm-hearted people and volun-teers (these people always have a special place in my heart).

The public transport did live up to expectations, and barricades by men carrying guns were all fa-miliar (it did help home sickness and the feeling of being in a foreign land!). I did not like the food at first. I did not like the weather either – too wet and too cold. I used to sit by the window wishing to see some dry yellow grass and dust, lifted off the bare earth by the wind.

I was so glad to have come to Ireland though, as I’d never experienced such hospitality anywhere else. I also had the opportunity to go to school, have music lessons, and making some life-long friends.

I did not want to leave Ireland at all, but my eld-est brother had made the decision. He had had a holiday in Bristol, where he ran into a distant cousin - whom we were vaguely aware of but never had any contact – and instantly recognised our relation-ship by our middle name.

My brother decided that we should join her, so within a matter of weeks he arranged for me and my other brother Ka Ly to come and lodge with this cousin and her husband’s family. From then on, my brother and I floated from one place to another, living for short periods with different families from Vietnam, very unsettling, and I got quite ill while trying to do my ‘O’ Level exams.

I then got a job as a hotel waiter in Sidmouth, Devon and went to study music (guitar, clarinet, piano and theory) on my only day off in Exeter. I came back to Bristol after a year and then went to

live in Birmingham, Malvern and London in some very high crime rate areas. I eventually married and moved back to Bristol and then Salisbury.

During all this time, I never lost touch with my Irish friends. I always sent them Christmas cards, pre-sents (and vice versa), and brought my whole family over to see them.

I went back on my own last Spring and stayed for a week. It felt like coming home, going back to my roots – at least one of my deep and tender roots. I would have liked to see many more friends and teachers with whom I have lost contact completely - thanks to my sudden departure from Craigavon (almost as bad as when I fled Vietnam!)

Having floated about for years, I have now settled down with my wife Katharine (whose great grandfa-ther was British Prime Minister Neville Chamberlain) and 3 children (the eldest is Emily, was a chorister at Salisbury cathedral, and now reading German at Oxford; Tom doing photography, and Alexia is on her 3rd year in the local girls’ grammar school).

I work as a social care manager, jointly managing a team of about 60 social workers and occupational therapist etc. covering the South of Wiltshire. I also translate and interpret in my spare time.

When not at work, I enjoy allotment farming, play-ing racket sports and organise sport events and badminton clubs.

I also chaired the Chinese Association in Wiltshire (now defunct due to no funds and no time!). I also like organising social events, bringing people from different parts of the world together – not to men-tion getting my own big family together once a year (the next one is going to be in Salisbury cathedral’s grounds, when my eldest brother is celebrating his golden anniversary. My wife Katherine teaches Eng-lish and coaches 11+ students. She also sings in the local choir and plays the violin in the orchestra.

Life is mostly settled and peaceful now, compared with my younger days. We have become very much part of the local community here in Salisbury. We are planning to have a family holiday in Vietnam in the summer.

I don’t have any immediate family members in Vietnam as they all came over to the UK eventually. I do, however, still keep in close contact with my best primary school friend there, who I have been financially supporting for many years.’

2014.

From looking at the immigration statistics from the early 70s, it shows that when immigration to Northern Ireland was on the rise, it coincided with major events and often with peace. In terms of Craigavon, most of the people who moved there were from rural parts of Northern Ireland or from the city. Craigavon was seen as a ‘forward moving town’. It had the first cross community secondary school which opposed the traditional segregation of religions. It was seen as a place where everybody would get along no matter where they were from. Craigavon was the perfect place to start a new life.

During the time when Craigavon was starting off, the Vietnam war was in full force. By 1979, inno-cent Vietnamese people were escaping persecution brought on by the end of the Vietnamese war and the success of the Communists. South Vietnam was a war zone for the ‘Anti-Communists’ to fight the ‘com-

munists’ and innocent civilians had their homes and lives destroyed. Many Vietnamese people fled on boats (hence the name ‘Vietnamese Boat people’) to seek refuge in other countries. Many of these people fled to the UK and a small percentage of these refugees settled in Craigavon. Victor Sloan, a Northern Irish photographer was active around the time of the settlement and spent time with many of these people. Thanks to his interest and photogra-phy, he managed to capture a new community and culture in Craigavon that was very different for a Northern Irish city or town.

One of the people Sloan photographed in 1979 was a young man named Ka Fue Lay. Through Sloan’s own interest in Craigavon and the Vietnam-ese Boat people, he managed to track this man down and extracted an incredible story about how he came about to end up in Craigavon.

Vietnam to Craigavon

Escaping Vietnam in 1979Extracts from Ka Fue Lay’s Story

320002004

2.40%Increase in population in Craigavon during this year, one of the biggest of Northern Ireland.

Number estimated of people who came live in North-ern Ireland during the peak of 2007.

Enlargement of the European Union by 10 countries.

photograph by Victor Sloan

FROM PEOPLE

TOPEOPLE

Craigavon Area Hospital first opened in 1972 as a prerequisite from the demands of an ambitious new town. It became the main healthcare centre for people from Banbridge to Dungannon and opened a much needed A&E ward for the area. In June 2011, the hos-pital also became a teaching facility for Queen’s University Belfast.But for all the good it has brought the locale, Craigavon Area Hos-pital is pushing boundaries once again. Beginning in September

2006, and coming to completion in April 2008, the new Acute Psychiat-ric Unit by Hall Black Douglas, has been designed to give a sense of welcoming to users. Known as the Bluestone Unit, it is a purpose built 74-bed mental health inpatient unit and is currently providing general acute psychiatric care for people 18 and above with health issues, struggling with addiction and in need of psychiatric intensive care.

The building is legible and is user-visitor friendly, with protected land-scape that has become a crucial features of the design. Users are benefitted by the site perimeter with rural landscape that offers much needed privacy. The formality of the entrance is enlightened with the informality of the rear landscape,

which manifest the connection of internal and external space.

Designing a specific building for the users has become their utmost goal at Hall Black Douglas. Detailing is critical in making sure the spaces are relaxing and non-intimidating for patients. Quality daylight with good visual connection to the landscape emphasises a therapeutic atmosphere. And most importantly providing safe environment for the patient and staff as well.

Landscaping has played a crucial part in the overall design of the building. Tucked away from the main building, it receives it’s own private space of quality rural

landscape. The feel and appear-ance of the landscaping around the building changes as the room functions change from the more public areas through to the more private spaces towards the rear of the site.

Despite the fact that the original masterplan of Craigavon provisioned public amenities and leisure activities at the doorstep of its residents, this is not the actual case with the town of Craigavon. The black paths were mainly designed to link the hous-ing estates with the city ‘centre’ (if Rushmere is to be thought of as the city centre) but they are now rarely used by the people who live in Craigavon, due to wrong planning of the paths’ infrastructure and insufficient lighting during evening hours. There has always been the safety factor as well (due to vandalism actions that occurred in the past), which prevented people from using those paths in the late hours. This is something that can be seen in other new towns of the late 60s. The walkways and bridg-es in Thamesmead (South East London) for example, do not really serve their original purpose; that being the main means of transport.

All housing estates do, however, have a small shop-ping complex, including a convenient store, bakery, kebab and other local shops to serve the neighbour-hoods. It was one of modernism’s main ideas to cre-ate a community spirit within the neighbourhoods by designing these small complexes and a public area for people to gather and kids to play; something that never happened in Ballymun (North of Dublin) as the government ran over budget to complete the proposed master planning for the housing estates. It is, however, really ‘weird’ how the public space is created between the shop complex and the back of the housing which is surrounded by tall wooden fencing; an area of complete nothingness, not even public furniture such as benches or play areas for the kids. Maybe the Rushmere shopping centre replaced this concept, since it is the area’s shopping and meeting destination, including big stores, shops, restaurants and cafes.

“…Craigavon was provided with number of schools, with capacity for a number of children which never materialised.”

Lismore Voluntary Secondary School is the largest school in Northern Ireland. The idea of having an integrated community school have been visualised through this project. Brownlow School Campus consists of collective secondary school buildings and playing fields with sports and outdoors facilities. These facilities are made available for the usage of the community outside school hours.

Unlike Brownlow Integrated College, Lismore was part of the master plan, thus it speaks more of Brownlow and its identity. The image sketched during the master-planning era, was an attempt to portray the communal aspect of Brownlow as new town in Craigavon.

A similar kind of school in a similar town with similar vision is Our Lady’s High School: a six-year Roman Catholic co-educational comprehensive school, which opened in 1968 in Cumbernauld. The archi-tects, Gillespie, Kidd and Coia who also designed number of buildings in the New Town, including the Cumbernauld Technical College, made the school a hallmark of modern architecture. With ancil-lary space on the ground floor and all class rooms above, the ground floor was allowed to be envel-oped in glass. The floors cantilever over one another and construct a beautiful singel entity.

The master plan of Ballymun (north of Dublin) failed to fully materialise in the late ‘60s as the govern-ment ran out of money. Public amenitiy buildings such as shops and the civic centre were never actu-ally built until the late ‘90s. Until this time, a van would act as a shop, driving around the neighbour-hoods, selliing goods to the residents at reasonably high prices. Moreover, the lack of public amenities led to acts of vandalism, street violence and a rise in drug use. This caused a lot of fear within the estates. But then, even if there were local shops and public centres running across the neighbourhoods, would it mean Ballymun could have been a ‘successful scheme’? The master planning for the new town of Craigavon did include local shops and community centres, but this did not prevent any of the poverty or vandalism that had occurred in the past years. What tools are there for architects and planners to predict failure or success in future planning?

GOVERNMENT RUNS

OUT OF MONEY

EVERYTHING AT YOUR

DOORSTEP ?

IS THE COMMUNITY SPIRIT STILL THERE ?

A new piece of contemporary architecture, Brown-low Community Hub, has recently replaced three community centres in the Brownlow housing estate (2011). Designed by Michael Whitley Architects, the Hub offers a variety of activities and various sized rooms for events , group courses and hiring. Other centres, such as Moyraverty Community Cen-tre or Chrysallis Women’s Centre, were constructed back in the late ‘60s and still keep the community spirit running, which some of Craigavon’s residents claim is lost after the depression caused by the closing of the Goodyear factory and the vandalism, violence and drug use/dealing that occured. Un-likely, residents of Thamesmead (South East London) always believed and still believe the community is still there, and maybe that is where the estate’s future depends on after all.

Education reflected the political, social, economic, religious and cultural apartheid, which charac-terised this ethnic frontier community. A line was drawn between two groups of society when politi-cal entity was created in 1921 in Northern Ireland. This had caused nothing else but chaos. Craigavon specifically had experienced many acts of violence during the troubles and the communities in some parts of the Borough are highly polarised.

Seven integrated schools were built since 1981 as one of many initiatives to solve the problem, and have been balanced between the two communities. The effectiveness was put to test when the first inte-grated school was open, Lagan College in Belfast. And to what it is now, it certainly presented many positive results. Integrated schools in Northern Ire-land showing its quality in providing ‘safe space’ for people of Craigavon has become a story of success. The establishment of integrated schools has con-tributed to reconciliation in the segregated society of Northern Ireland. But how do we define a ‘safe space’?

Brownlow Integrated School, one of the first inte-grated schools in Northern Ireland, was first estab-

lished in 1973 as a Controlled (Protestant) school for 11-16 pupils. In 1991 the school has been ‘trans-formed’ to Controlled Integrated School. Brownlow has provided the balance between the two communi-ties of pupils and on the Board of Governors, thus attracted many pupils from the greater Craigavon area. In 2010, the school had 413 pupils consisting 211 Catholic, 138 Protestant with 64 Others and the teaching staff consist of 19 Protestant, 11 Catholics and two Others.En Avant, as it appeared on the school emblem, urging people to move forward as what it was envis-aged for the new town prior. Although one could argue it does not portray Craigavon as an identity, however it gives the community what they needed at that time.‘Equality in Community’, the school motto highlighted the etymology of quality education in the spirit of working as a team and aspires to defeat the insecurities in differences.

Despite statistics indicated that Brownlow repre-sents one of the highest concentrations of multiple deprivations in Northern Ireland, but with sufficient motivation and resources, much can be achieved by developing community participation and by co-ordi-nating the effort of public sector agencies.

A SAFE SPACEFOR CRAIGAVON

LEISURE FOR ALL?

The leisure facilities in Craigavon, mostly the Watersports, Ski and Golf centres, are the main attractions within the surrounding area. These facilities were actually proposed in the original master plan of the new town, and might have been one of the reasons people moved from Belfast to Craigavon. The idea that the new town would offer its resi-dents everything they needed as well as leisure activities was not really true since many could not afford these and especially after losing their jobs when Goodyear factory closed down in 1983. On the plus side, a new leisure centre with eight cinema screens is on its way, as well as a swimming pool centre close to the South lake. Spending money on new leisure facilities might be the solution to Craigavon’s problem; more leisure for all? But then, what is actually the problem with Craigavon new town?

Lismore Comprehensive School

FROM PEOPLE

TOPEOPLE

Craigavon Area Hospital first opened in 1972 as a prerequisite from the demands of an ambitious new town. It became the main healthcare centre for people from Banbridge to Dungannon and opened a much needed A&E ward for the area. In June 2011, the hos-pital also became a teaching facility for Queen’s University Belfast.But for all the good it has brought the locale, Craigavon Area Hos-pital is pushing boundaries once again. Beginning in September

2006, and coming to completion in April 2008, the new Acute Psychiat-ric Unit by Hall Black Douglas, has been designed to give a sense of welcoming to users. Known as the Bluestone Unit, it is a purpose built 74-bed mental health inpatient unit and is currently providing general acute psychiatric care for people 18 and above with health issues, struggling with addiction and in need of psychiatric intensive care.

The building is legible and is user-visitor friendly, with protected land-scape that has become a crucial features of the design. Users are benefitted by the site perimeter with rural landscape that offers much needed privacy. The formality of the entrance is enlightened with the informality of the rear landscape,

which manifest the connection of internal and external space.

Designing a specific building for the users has become their utmost goal at Hall Black Douglas. Detailing is critical in making sure the spaces are relaxing and non-intimidating for patients. Quality daylight with good visual connection to the landscape emphasises a therapeutic atmosphere. And most importantly providing safe environment for the patient and staff as well.

Landscaping has played a crucial part in the overall design of the building. Tucked away from the main building, it receives it’s own private space of quality rural

landscape. The feel and appear-ance of the landscaping around the building changes as the room functions change from the more public areas through to the more private spaces towards the rear of the site.

Despite the fact that the original masterplan of Craigavon provisioned public amenities and leisure activities at the doorstep of its residents, this is not the actual case with the town of Craigavon. The black paths were mainly designed to link the hous-ing estates with the city ‘centre’ (if Rushmere is to be thought of as the city centre) but they are now rarely used by the people who live in Craigavon, due to wrong planning of the paths’ infrastructure and insufficient lighting during evening hours. There has always been the safety factor as well (due to vandalism actions that occurred in the past), which prevented people from using those paths in the late hours. This is something that can be seen in other new towns of the late 60s. The walkways and bridg-es in Thamesmead (South East London) for example, do not really serve their original purpose; that being the main means of transport.

All housing estates do, however, have a small shop-ping complex, including a convenient store, bakery, kebab and other local shops to serve the neighbour-hoods. It was one of modernism’s main ideas to cre-ate a community spirit within the neighbourhoods by designing these small complexes and a public area for people to gather and kids to play; something that never happened in Ballymun (North of Dublin) as the government ran over budget to complete the proposed master planning for the housing estates. It is, however, really ‘weird’ how the public space is created between the shop complex and the back of the housing which is surrounded by tall wooden fencing; an area of complete nothingness, not even public furniture such as benches or play areas for the kids. Maybe the Rushmere shopping centre replaced this concept, since it is the area’s shopping and meeting destination, including big stores, shops, restaurants and cafes.

“…Craigavon was provided with number of schools, with capacity for a number of children which never materialised.”

Lismore Voluntary Secondary School is the largest school in Northern Ireland. The idea of having an integrated community school have been visualised through this project. Brownlow School Campus consists of collective secondary school buildings and playing fields with sports and outdoors facilities. These facilities are made available for the usage of the community outside school hours.

Unlike Brownlow Integrated College, Lismore was part of the master plan, thus it speaks more of Brownlow and its identity. The image sketched during the master-planning era, was an attempt to portray the communal aspect of Brownlow as new town in Craigavon.

A similar kind of school in a similar town with similar vision is Our Lady’s High School: a six-year Roman Catholic co-educational comprehensive school, which opened in 1968 in Cumbernauld. The archi-tects, Gillespie, Kidd and Coia who also designed number of buildings in the New Town, including the Cumbernauld Technical College, made the school a hallmark of modern architecture. With ancil-lary space on the ground floor and all class rooms above, the ground floor was allowed to be envel-oped in glass. The floors cantilever over one another and construct a beautiful singel entity.

The master plan of Ballymun (north of Dublin) failed to fully materialise in the late ‘60s as the govern-ment ran out of money. Public amenitiy buildings such as shops and the civic centre were never actu-ally built until the late ‘90s. Until this time, a van would act as a shop, driving around the neighbour-hoods, selliing goods to the residents at reasonably high prices. Moreover, the lack of public amenities led to acts of vandalism, street violence and a rise in drug use. This caused a lot of fear within the estates. But then, even if there were local shops and public centres running across the neighbourhoods, would it mean Ballymun could have been a ‘successful scheme’? The master planning for the new town of Craigavon did include local shops and community centres, but this did not prevent any of the poverty or vandalism that had occurred in the past years. What tools are there for architects and planners to predict failure or success in future planning?

GOVERNMENT RUNS

OUT OF MONEY

EVERYTHING AT YOUR

DOORSTEP ?

IS THE COMMUNITY SPIRIT STILL THERE ?

A new piece of contemporary architecture, Brown-low Community Hub, has recently replaced three community centres in the Brownlow housing estate (2011). Designed by Michael Whitley Architects, the Hub offers a variety of activities and various sized rooms for events , group courses and hiring. Other centres, such as Moyraverty Community Cen-tre or Chrysallis Women’s Centre, were constructed back in the late ‘60s and still keep the community spirit running, which some of Craigavon’s residents claim is lost after the depression caused by the closing of the Goodyear factory and the vandalism, violence and drug use/dealing that occured. Un-likely, residents of Thamesmead (South East London) always believed and still believe the community is still there, and maybe that is where the estate’s future depends on after all.

Education reflected the political, social, economic, religious and cultural apartheid, which charac-terised this ethnic frontier community. A line was drawn between two groups of society when politi-cal entity was created in 1921 in Northern Ireland. This had caused nothing else but chaos. Craigavon specifically had experienced many acts of violence during the troubles and the communities in some parts of the Borough are highly polarised.

Seven integrated schools were built since 1981 as one of many initiatives to solve the problem, and have been balanced between the two communities. The effectiveness was put to test when the first inte-grated school was open, Lagan College in Belfast. And to what it is now, it certainly presented many positive results. Integrated schools in Northern Ire-land showing its quality in providing ‘safe space’ for people of Craigavon has become a story of success. The establishment of integrated schools has con-tributed to reconciliation in the segregated society of Northern Ireland. But how do we define a ‘safe space’?

Brownlow Integrated School, one of the first inte-grated schools in Northern Ireland, was first estab-

lished in 1973 as a Controlled (Protestant) school for 11-16 pupils. In 1991 the school has been ‘trans-formed’ to Controlled Integrated School. Brownlow has provided the balance between the two communi-ties of pupils and on the Board of Governors, thus attracted many pupils from the greater Craigavon area. In 2010, the school had 413 pupils consisting 211 Catholic, 138 Protestant with 64 Others and the teaching staff consist of 19 Protestant, 11 Catholics and two Others.En Avant, as it appeared on the school emblem, urging people to move forward as what it was envis-aged for the new town prior. Although one could argue it does not portray Craigavon as an identity, however it gives the community what they needed at that time.‘Equality in Community’, the school motto highlighted the etymology of quality education in the spirit of working as a team and aspires to defeat the insecurities in differences.

Despite statistics indicated that Brownlow repre-sents one of the highest concentrations of multiple deprivations in Northern Ireland, but with sufficient motivation and resources, much can be achieved by developing community participation and by co-ordi-nating the effort of public sector agencies.

A SAFE SPACEFOR CRAIGAVON

LEISURE FOR ALL?

The leisure facilities in Craigavon, mostly the Watersports, Ski and Golf centres, are the main attractions within the surrounding area. These facilities were actually proposed in the original master plan of the new town, and might have been one of the reasons people moved from Belfast to Craigavon. The idea that the new town would offer its resi-dents everything they needed as well as leisure activities was not really true since many could not afford these and especially after losing their jobs when Goodyear factory closed down in 1983. On the plus side, a new leisure centre with eight cinema screens is on its way, as well as a swimming pool centre close to the South lake. Spending money on new leisure facilities might be the solution to Craigavon’s problem; more leisure for all? But then, what is actually the problem with Craigavon new town?

Lismore Comprehensive School

Recreational Facilities for Everyone?‘Recreational plans will fulfill the fondest dreams of every sportsman’ Craigavon Progress had coined in November 1964. 50 years on, is this still true? The argument might be strengthened by the plans for a new leisure centre within the South Lake Zone. The leisure centre will bring with it a range of facilities and adds to an already extensive list of leisure ac-tivities which are available to the city of Craigavon including, watersports, angling and cycling. Craigav-on watersports centre of-fers many outdoor experi-ences to people of all ages. Some of the activities and courses available include sailing, windsurfing, waterskiing and canoeing. The lakes were one of the principal and most attractive features of the new town plan in the 1960’s and are still heavily used to date. Start-ed in the summer of 1972 and designed and supervised by The Roads Service, Craigavon Lakes were finally finished and opened in 1975. A spectacular attraction for the population that were im-migrating from the city, but are the facilities avail-able to even the least well off family?

Not just a fisherman’s DreamA primary leisure facility for Craigavon, the Balanc-ing Lakes also have a more critical role within the town plan. The new town was formed in a rural area between the towns of Portadown and Lur-gan, an area that was made up of small farms and rural homes, which were prone to flooding. The balanc-ing lakes, situated on either side of the railway line help to balance the water table and re-duce the frequency of flooding. The lakes store stormwater runoff which reaches the lakes through a network of streams and underground drainage pipes which run into a circular lagoon. This water is then fed to Lough Neagh at a controlled velocity through a network of downhill streams.

In Thamesmead, SE London, a series of lakes and canals offer the same solution to an area of former marshland whilst also offering appealing conditions for fishermen. Thames mead was of course built on what was marsh land on the edge of the river Thames, giving further relevance to what is happen-ing in Craigavon. The Milton Keynes Citizen also expresses the utmost importance of their balancing lakes which take the surface water from the new estates whilst also providing leisure facilities.

In Craigavon the North Lake measure 21.8ha and the larger South Lake measures 42.2 ha. The lagoon helps to prevent pollution in the lake with a floating boom filtering pollution and debris such as plastic bottles, bags, sticks and oil. The lagoon also controls the velocity of the water in order to prevent silting of the lakes.

In the South West Corner of the South Lake is the harbour and two slipways which allow access and storage of boats. A stepped edge runs along the south lake for canoes and smaller boats. The lakes are no less than 6ft in depth and comprise of rock facing which prevents erosion of the lake edges. The rock is made up of limestone which allows the growth of moss and lichens which as well as blend-ing into the surrounding landscape, also provide vital calcium for the existing stock of Rainbow trout and Pike.

Around the lakes are a series of paths and cycle routes which help to link the residential areas with the open space provided by City Park and the shop-ping facilities located at Rushmere Shopping centre. The lakes are joined allowing boats and pedestrians to pass under the railway line.

Not everyone might be considered fond of Craigav-on Lakes, considering vast areas of farmland were cleared for their creation, highlighted on the BBC Documentary ‘The Lost City of Craigavon’, one resident explains how his farm is situated under the lakes, asked if he had made peace with Craigavon, “Well I have and if my father was here whether he would, my brother would still be re-sistant to saying he welcomed it all.”

Plenty more Fish in the…. LakeGood news for fishermen as the balancing lakes in Craigavon are restocked with 1,000 Rainbow Trout. Cllr O’Connor welcomes the project as a way of getting young people into a new sport, “The Central lakes with their surrounding parkland, scenic walking and cycling paths, the facilities at the Water Sports Centre and fishing are the envy of other Councils. To be able to offer this facility in the heart of Craigavon and next door to a major shopping area is unique and has to be protected and developed. We are cur-rently negotiating with DECAL to have the fishing stock increase by 50% and to introduce course fish as an attraction for advanced anglers.”

Fishing has been permitted at the lakes since they were stocked with 12,000 rainbow trout in 1976. Since then many residents of Craigavon and anglers from further afoot have enjoyed the challenge that the lakes pre-sent. Many anglers choose to take non mechanical and electrically powered boats onto the lake, these can be rented from Craigavon Borough Council or fishermen can use their own boats, (access is available via the slipways at the South Lake).

The North Lake, the smaller of the two lakes is a game fishing lake, however it also contains pike to help dou-ble the numbers. The South Lake contains more variety with pike (of over 20lb), perch, roach and bream.

£14 Million Castor Bay Development in the PipelineProgress is being made with the development of the Castor Bay to Belfast pipeline with the pipes being delivered in June. This project aims to improve the security of the water supply infrastructure for the areas of Belfast, Lisburn and Craigavon. Pipe lay-ing is well underway on the major pipeline which involves construction of a 29km pipeline from Castor Bay Water Treatment Works to Lisburn where it will link in with the existing Lisburn to Belfast trunk main. Plans also involve improving cas-tor Bay Water Pumping Station on the South East shore of Lough Neagh. The Lough is central to the entire water system.

‘Water, water everywhere... for drainage drinking and playing.’

One of the major attractions of Craigavon is the balancing lakes situated either side of the railway line in Craigavon City Park. Providing a prime location for water sports and leisure facilities the lakes also balance the water table and reduce the frequency of flooding.

Lough Neagh acts as the back bone of this system, providing drinkingwater from Castor Bawater from Castor Bay, on the South East Shore of Lough Neagh. The North Lake measures 21.8 ha and the larger South Lake measures 42.2 ha. Rainwater runs through a network of streams and underground pipes into a circular lagoon. The lagoon acts to preventpollution and by controlling the velocity, reduces silting of the lakes. A floating boom across the lagoon helps to filter pollution such as bottles, plastic bags, sticks and oil. The lakes arejoined with a tunnel under the railway line allowing boats, pedestrians and cyclists to pass.

Recreational Facilities for Everyone?‘Recreational plans will fulfill the fondest dreams of every sportsman’ Craigavon Progress had coined in November 1964. 50 years on, is this still true? The argument might be strengthened by the plans for a new leisure centre within the South Lake Zone. The leisure centre will bring with it a range of facilities and adds to an already extensive list of leisure activities which are available to the city of Craigavon including, watersports, angling and cycling. Craigavon watersports centre of-fers many outdoor experiences to people of all ages. Some of the activities and courses available include sailing, windsurfing, waterskiing and canoeing. The lakes were one of the principal and most attractive features of the new town plan in the 1960’s and are still heavily used to date. Start-ed in the summer of 1972 and designed and supervised by The Roads Service, Craigavon Lakes were finally finished and opened in 1975. A spectacular attraction for the population that were im-migrating from the city, but are the facilities available to even the least well off family?

Not just a fisherman’s DreamA primary leisure facility for Craigavon, the Balancing Lakes also have a more critical role within the town plan. The new town was formed in a rural area between the towns of Portadown and Lur-gan, an area that was made up of small farms and rural homes, which were prone to flooding. The balancing lakes, situated on either side of the railway line help to balance the water table and re-duce the frequency of flooding. The lakes store stormwater runoff which reaches the lakes through a network of streams and underground drainage pipes which run into a circular lagoon. This water is then fed to Lough Neagh at a controlled velocity through a network of downhill streams.

In Thamesmead, SE London, a series of lakes and canals offer the same solution to an area of former marshland whilst also offering appealing conditions for fishermen. Thames mead was of course built on what was marsh land on the edge of the river Thames, giving further relevance to what is happening in Craigavon. The Milton Keynes Citizen also expresses the utmost importance of their balancing lakes which take the surface water from the new estates whilst also providing leisure

facilities.

In Craigavon the North Lake measure 21.8ha and the larger South Lake measures 42.2 ha. The lagoon helps to prevent pollution in the lake with a floating boom filtering pollution and debris such as plastic bottles, bags, sticks and oil. The lagoon also controls the velocity of the water in order to prevent silting of the lakes.

In the South West Corner of the South Lake is the harbour and two slipways which allow access and storage of boats. A stepped edge runs along the south lake for canoes and smaller boats. The lakes are no less than 6ft in depth and comprise of rock facing which prevents erosion of the lake edges. The rock is made up of limestone which allows the growth of moss and lichens which as well as blending into the surrounding landscape,

also provide vital calcium for the existing stock of Rainbow trout and Pike.

Around the lakes are a series of paths and cycle routes which help to link the residential areas with the open space provided by City Park and the shopping facilities located at Rushmere Shopping centre. The lakes are joined allowing boats and pedestrians to pass under the railway line.

Not everyone might be considered fond of Craigavon Lakes, considering vast areas of farmland were cleared for their creation, highlighted on the BBC Documentary ‘The Lost City of Craigavon’, one resident explains how his farm is situated under the lakes, asked if he had made peace with Craigavon, “Well I have and if my father was here whether he would, my brother would still be re-sistant to saying he welcomed it all.”

Plenty more Fish in the…. LakeGood news for fishermen as the balancing lakes in Craigavon are restocked with 1,000 Rainbow Trout. Cllr O’Connor welcomes the project as a way of getting young people into a new sport, “The Central lakes with their surrounding parkland, scenic walking and cycling paths, the facilities at the Water Sports Centre and fishing are the envy of other Councils. To be able to offer this facility in the heart of Craigavon and next door to a major shopping area is unique and has to be protected and developed. We are currently negotiating with DECAL to have the fishing stock increase by 50% and to introduce course fish as an attraction for advanced anglers.”

Fishing has been permitted at the lakes since they were stocked with 12,000 rainbow trout in 1976. Since then many residents of Craigavon and anglers from further afoot have enjoyed the challenge that the lakes present. Many anglers choose to take non mechanical and electrically powered boats onto the lake, these can be rented from Craigavon Borough Council or fishermen can use their own boats, (access is available via the slipways at the South Lake).

The North Lake, the smaller of the two lakes is a game fishing lake, however it also contains pike to help double the numbers. The South Lake contains more variety with pike (of over 20lb), perch, roach and

£14 Million Castor Bay Development in the PipelineProgress is being made with the development of the Castor Bay to Belfast pipeline with the pipes being delivered in June. This project aims to improve the security of the water supply infrastructure for the areas of Belfast, Lisburn and Craigavon. Pipe laying is well underway on the major pipeline which involves construction of a 29km pipeline from Castor Bay Water Treatment Works to Lisburn where it will link in with the existing Lisburn to Belfast trunk main. Plans also involve improving cas-tor Bay Water Pumping Station on the South East shore of Lough Neagh. The Lough is central to the entire water system.

‘Water, water everywhere... for drainage drinking and playing.’

One of the major attractions of Craigavon is the balancing lakes situated either side of the railway line in Craigavon City Park. Providing a prime location for water sports and leisure facilities the lakes also balance the water table and reduce the frequency of flooding.

Lough Neagh acts as the back bone of this system, providing drinkingwater from Castor Bawater from Castor Bay, on the South East Shore of Lough Neagh. The North Lake measures 21.8 ha and the larger South Lake measures 42.2 ha. Rainwater runs through a network of streams and underground pipes into a circular lagoon. The lagoon acts to preventpollution and by controlling the velocity, reduces silting of the lakes. A floating boom across the lagoon helps to filter pollution such as bottles, plastic bags, sticks and oil. The lakes arejoined with a tunnel under the railway line allowing boats, pedestrians and cyclists to pass.

scale 1:25000

KEY

Existing Open SpaceGreen BeltSouth Lake ZoneLand zoned for Open Space

Much akin with Craigavon, Thamesmead in South-East London has made the bold yet radically optimistic choice of separating walkways for pedestrians from normal road traffic. Thamesmead provides floating walkways over roads moving people between separate blocks of housing.These walkways in the sky were at their time, forward thinking and deemed to be futuristic. In examples such as Cumbernauld, these separate paths lead to much fewer road accidents. In the previous example, road accidents were lowered to a quarter of their original rate. It also provide a visual relationship with the landscape and allowing for better views across the city. this connection was of course very different to that of Craigavon as the landscape there is much more sparse than thamesmead’s lakes, surrounded by concrete modernist built forms.

However, these walkways quickly became littered and abused. They were not considered safe by locals either as, much like Craigavon again, there were fews eyes looking upon the paths. Pathways set out for people to walk on were put in without regard to how people would wish to get about, so many were completely ignored in favour of more direct routes, over grassed areas.The choice of aerial path is not a question of space saving, as Alison Breese from Gallions Housing Association says, “The mile upon mile of walkways did mean that we had all this void space on the ground floor…”

It can only be imagined how Thamesmead will use these walkways in future, and we can live in hope that any proposals made their, will have a profound effect on our own dimly lit routes through the forest.

PATHSWALKWAYS

&BRIDGES

50 years ago residents of Belfast were lured to Craigavon with the presumption of jobs aplenty combined with fresh air and green space. There is no doubt that Craigavon is characterised by vast expanses of open space and scrubland. As the planners had envisaged, our neighbourhood greenways flow into open space and merge with Craigavon City Park and the balancing lakes. No house is any more than half a mile from the countryside and pedestrian paths service the entire community. Tales of a richly landscaped environment that would make any city dwellers envious. Or would it?

Yes, Craigavon has been lavished with pedestrian

paths, separated from fast moving traffic however - some of these have no final destination. Many elderly residents are unable to make the journey from Brownlow to Rushmere using the black paths. Residents are afraid to use the paths and underpasses at night and road users complain that they can not see their destination through thick trees and hedgerows which appear to engulf the low rise buildings. There has always been an issue of ownership of the scrubland, meaning the city is a mixture of nurtured grass and uncared for scrubland compared to the first Garden City of Letchworth where all of the trees are carefully sculpted and the green spaces cared for. The residents of Letchworth; those that have invested into the project have a say about what the profits are recycled into, giving residents and stakeholders a sense of pride in their home town. Perhaps the economic model for

Letchworth speaks volumes for Craigavon?Is the grass always Greener?

Northern Irelands ninth Anaerobic Digestion Plant and first industrial version is being built in Craigavon. The new energy producing system will take household, farm and food processing wastes and turn them into a clean electricity, heating and gas for homes. All additional byproducts are then pasteurised and turned into fertiliser. The project, designed by Sharon Johnston Architects of Portadown is a forward thinking proposal, and one which is sure to ‘BLEND’ a new industrial zoning sector to the North East of the town, with an agricultural twist.

This is a positive step for the area with industries seeming to be on the move back into the town. With the rezoning to the North West of the town, a greater are has been designated for industry, with ten neighbours on the way as well.

This comes as a much needed step and could open the door for other such sustainable industries to move into the area. There has been talk of geothermal heating and wind turbines in the region, both of which are heavily needed in Northern Ireland.

These things are considered as well. With the likes of Google and Microsoft looking to expand their data centres in Ireland, they look to how energy is produced at an early stage in their planning.

Anaerobic Digestion Plant Making a ‘Stir‘

A grant of £122,466.57 has been provided from Neighbourhood Renewal Investment Fund. This has been matched by in kind contributions of £19,297.00 from Craigavon Borough Council and £11,399.52 from the Department of Employment and Learning.

Residents of Craigavon are angered that the Craigavon Borough Council recently launched an exciting new Mountain Bike Pump Track at Craigavon Lakes as part of a programme aimed at providing additional outdoor activities for residents in three Craigavon Neighbourhood Renewal areas. Funded primarily by the Department of Social Development to the tune of £122,466. The Pump Track teaches participants to maintain speed and gain momentum over bumps and through tight corners. They are tricky but safe, good for beginners yet challenging for experts. Brownlow residents feel this is a colossal waste of council money as their local Black Paths require urgent attention. Brownlow was designed as the ‘New City’. It was part of Prime Minister O’Neill’s vision of a modern Northern Ireland and a product of the 1960’s era of town planning, which includes recreation zones, mixed housing, cycle paths and roundabouts. Black Paths interlink the area and a person can travel from one end to the other without using a road. However parts of this network remain unfinished with paths just ending in some areas. The large road infrastructure in Craigavon is over engineered and dominated by a number of roundabouts. It is often described as a barrier for the residents who wish to commute without the means of a car. The path network alleviates this problem and has therefore

become important to the local people. To see it finally completed would make a huge difference. Similar problems have occurred in other New Towns for example Milton Keynes. Complaints about the indirectness of paths, led to the introduction of cross-city Redways in the late 1980s, which generally run alongside the main roads. There are no continuous footpath routes between estates; pedestrians have to use the Redways. In some places, however, new footpaths have been built adjacent to grid roads to improve access and in response to many pedestrians walking alongside or within these roads. Although walking is a healthy, low cost and sustainable mode of transport its use is on the decline. The general decline in walking has been attributed mainly to the convenience of the car. However a car in Craigavon is sometimes less of a convenience. Bobby Smith a resident of Parkmore say’s ‘Jesus boy I can hoof on over ta shaps in a jiffy but if i was to get in me car it would be a longer operation’!

The New Town of Cumbernauld has recently upgraded walkways. A fully accessible walking path opened in on 20 July. The path, which takes the shape of a snake, follows a 2km route from Craighalbert to Craigmarloch. Rest areas line the route which is wheelchair and cycle friendly. The path passes the Scottish Spina Bifida Association Head Office and the Scottish Centre for Children with Motor Impairments. Children from both centres can be easily taken to adjacent parks and local shops using the pathway. It has become very popular with the local people. The residents of Craigavon deserve a finished path system. For the people that came to Craigavon in the beginning and have remained here all those years it would finally be a sense of completion for the area.

“Roads Service’s budgets for road maintenance and improvement schemes are greatly reduced this year, in line with the four year budget agreed by the Executive. However, Roads Service is using its available resources effectively and continuing to deliver quality public services,” said Danny Kennedy.

The Minister also welcomed Roads Service’s proposed programme for the year ahead including junction improvements on the Donaghcloney Road with the Laural Hill Road, Donaghcloney; Bleary Road with the Drumnacanvey Road, Portadown and the Leansmount Road with Killaghy Road, Aghagallon. These schemes aim to improve driver visibility and improve road alignment at these locations.Speaking at the meeting, Divisional Roads Manager Mr Kevin Monaghan, welcomed last year’s record expenditure on structural maintenance which allowed Roads Service to deliver many much needed projects. A total of 54 kilometres of resurfacing was completed in the Borough.

Will Craigavon’s Cycle Pump Track be another Ski Slope blunder? One issue lies in the perceived bravado needed to take on mountain biking but with Northern Ireland fast becoming a global hot spot for the sport it could well be the right time to cash in on a possibility.

Better known routes in Belfast, Rostrevor and Castlewellan are continually being updated with government funded works and chain reaction cycles producing exhilarating and fun routes. A walk along a forest path will show people from as young as eight years of age to more experienced users of 60+ using the green and red routes.

Of course there is money in the sport as well. a decent bike will set you back well over £1000 with people riding on bikes at the price of a decent family car at the top. Many pople are taking the initiative to bank in as well with the likes of Cloughmore extreme and Gullion Adventure buying in travelling pump tracks to bring education and sport to people across the country.

Its success will lie solely in how the local people accept it as if it were used it would make for a great resource.

Path-Etic

The over engineered road network in Craigavon has since its conception been heavily criticised by local residents and urban planners. Dominated by several roundabouts it is seen as a barrier as opposed to a gateway as it was attended to be. However not to everybody’s liking this extensive infrastructure is here to stay and the preservation of it is paramount. The existing highway that runs like a spine trough Craigavon provides adequate capacity for the volume of traffic that it serves.

Speaking ahead of a meeting between the Roads Service of Northern Ireland and Craigavon District Council, the Minister said: “Last year’s budget for structural maintenance and local transport and safety measures allowed a good range of such schemes to be successfully delivered.

Just-A-BoutBudgeting For The Future Of Our Infrastructure

New Pump Track For Brave Sports Fans

It has become more apparent that a new bus route for Craigavon is required. The current meandering route through the town does not provide the benefits seen in other parts of the country. This is most notable in Portadown and Lurgan which both have their own town service (Highlighted in blue on the map below.)

Many people are left without transport and unfortunately it is the residents furthest from the town centre who are hit the hardest by this fault. Moreover, once you arrive in the centre, there is no steppin out into a fresh station, nor are there any welcoming features. One is greated by the service side of a once beautiful building.

Alternatives have been outlined by several people, most recently by RPS Architects in

Belfast, who had stated many of the social issues in the area could be reduced with a new service, or failing that, a new route.

The potential for a vibrant city is still there, the ground work exists yet, even the smallest of towns cannot survive without adequate transport systems in place. Of course with the new industry growing to the North of the city, the

issue will only get worse before it gets better. residents in the South of Craigavon only have but to walk to the centre currently to work.

Even with its close proximity to Newry, Craigavon has been left without a link to the City. Old routes through Armagh have been cut from rail to bus to nothing and with new transport systems being employed across Northern Ireland, many old buses are being reduced to little more than scrap.

Craigavons position, along the Western motorway to Dungannon from Belfast and in easy proximity with Newry, gives it the potential to become a central hub for much of Northern Irelands industry and transport yet it is alas often over looked for major infrastructural projects.

Bus Routes Need Updating For City Aspirations

Plan Drawings Of The New Pump track

Elevation Drawings Of The New Pump Track

For some time now the Armagh people have been fuelling their homes using peat from the mineral rich grounds around Lough Neagh however, these lands are being eyed up by developers for future industrial use. Locals have reportedly been in uproar over the land, taken from farmers in the 1950’s, being turned into sites for oil and gas fracking. An exploration borehole identified black bituminous oil under the rock in North Armagh. A top of this, underlying shale rock in Lough Neagh basin has been tipped as possibly holding a potential for unconventional shale gas production.One lady held a fear that extracting these materials will result in some of the same issues that digging peat has shown in the area “It’s going to do nothing but ruin the area and the beautiful landscape round our lakes.”

The land holds many other possibilities with one of the most exciting being talked about is the future of prospecting in the area. Some six kilometres to the East of Clontribet in Co.Monaghan, bedrock gold has been identified at a number of localities. Drilling at Cargalisgorran, North of Derrynoose, has identified a zone extending for at least 50 metres, consisting of gold bearing quartz- carbonate veins. At Tivnacree, one kilometre South West, trenching and drilling has identified low-grade gold mineralisation. A spectacular discovery in 1980 as ‘the clay lake nugget’ from Co.Armagh weighing more than 30 grammes left local man Pat Devlin in aw exclaiming “Jeeze, thats some size of a rock.”

Lead and zinc were also mined in Keady with records of 57 shafts, some extending to a depth

of 45 metres in Derrynoose. None of these industries still work and is a saddening sight when you think of the once thriving working brick clay sights of Armagh. Lough Neagh clay, a stretch extending over 500km2, of which 300m2 is under the lough itself were once renowned for their plasticity and strength but no longer is it produced. Many of these industries are being thought of as making a return to an area where employment and in particular for Northern Ireland, industry is of upmost importance.

Essentially, since the closing of the Good Year factory in 1983, Craigavon has struggled to gain any large scale industries. With very little primary industry and even less agriculture, Craigavon became more and more dependant

on its town centre for employment. Further planning developments have pushed for growth to the North East of the town centre, driving a new string of industrial business into the city. In the newly zoned area, 10 units are already in planning and further possibilities loom on the horizon.

Keeping true to its routes however, Craigavon also has a number of sustainable infrastructural projects in sight. the people of Craigavon have rejoiced at the mention of geothermal energy being brought to the area. The benefits of placing a geothermal system close to the triassic-age sherwood sandstone, lowers the depth needed to heat water from 5000metres to a mere 2500metres. A cheap and sustainable

NO FRACKING WAYFirst Fermanagh, then Tyrone... Now its Armaghs turn to go get FRACKED.

A continuing reocourance from the mining of lignite to gas and oil, our nations country sides are being torn apart from greed. People in Craigavon are up in arms about the situation, however more positive skies lie beyond the horizon.

Oil U

nder

Loug

h Nea

gh

Aspirational images once showed a gleaming future of eco friendly trains running silently through an ever developing city with a vibrant CBD. Today Craigavon has little in common with its own portrayal, and the elephant in the room is of course the lack of a connecting public transport system.

Current planning master plans have proposed an “area of search” for a new rail station and a few new routes directed over the rail lines to the new industrial area, but little has been done to further develop any plans. More over, there is little plans as yet for any conclusive bus service to the area, with a single route meandering through the town and not having a designated stop. There have been further inroads into the situation with a group set up to campaign for the reopening of the Portadown to Armagh railway line. This group have been spurred on by the announcement of a new feasibility study into the route.

When compared to many other new towns, Craigavons infrastructural system gave little thought toward any other form of transport than the automobile. The roads had to be built before anything else could become envisaged, much like the piping of a bathroom. Over predictions on the number of cars per

household meant that not only was the system capable for the future city needs, it was in fact over prescribed. Cumbernauld was one such town with a similar issue. As one of the earliest new towns it was trying to avoid the failings of its predecessors and gauging the car sales boom. Although also over prescribed, all the infrastructural routes came into a central location at or close to the town centre, leaving only a 10 minute walk to any part of the town. A lot of its industry tended to be outside of the town in areas zoned specifically for use and it created what was deemed a dormitory culture in that you either worked outside of the town or in the centre and used your home for resting alone. Milton Keynes created an American style grid over the landscape, lessening traffic movement on larger roads and spreading it more evenly. The new towns of the 1950’s and 60’s were of course laid out very differently to the garden cities that preceded them. Letchworth, as with many of the towns of the time decided to plant its industry to the East of the main town, cut off by the railway. Part of the logic was to use prevailing winds to move fumes away from the

seamlessly with the mother city.With the provision of a rail service, new life can breath in a town that has been choked of development for such a long time. The cultural benefits are numerous and obvious but the creation of industrial infrastructure could bring with it the modern day equivalent to Craigavons Good Year.

Regardless of the transport situation in the town, it can be seen as a positive that some of the ambition from the mid-90’s carries on to this day. Positive slogans are painted and written on hte wall s of the town as though made by an anti-vandal. “Things Have Yet To Come In This City”“Discover The Inner Warmth““I Love This Town“All very warming thoughts from an ambitious aspiration.

residential areas of the town.

Each exemplar town uses the infrastructure as a dividing and conjoining mechanism with a complex dichotomy of usage and for the most part, new towns always had quick and easy access to public transport, linking them almost

Aspirationas

Inspiration

way to heat an entire town. The nature of sustainability often runs hand in hand with new towns and following in the footsteps of Thamesmead’s eco park would be yet another positive step in the right direction. In this park, housing water and energy consumptions dropped by 50% and CO2 emissions were lowered by 60%. Thamesmeads future goals with this type of building is for a further 1500 buildings consisting of homes schools and shops to be built.

Aspirational Images For Craigavon

Aspirational Images For Craigavon

Newly Zoned Industrial Areas In The Town

Artists Impretssional Drawings For “NO FRACKING WAY” Campaign

A grant of £122,466.57 has been provided from Neighbourhood Renewal Investment Fund. This has been matched by in kind contributions of £19,297.00 from Craigavon Borough Council and £11,399.52 from the Department of Employment and Learning.

Residents of Craigavon are angered that the Craigavon Borough Council recently launched an exciting new Mountain Bike Pump Track at Craigavon Lakes as part of a programme aimed at providing additional outdoor activities for residents in three Craigavon Neighbourhood Renewal areas. Funded primarily by the Department of Social Development to the tune of £122,466. The Pump Track teaches participants to maintain speed and gain momentum over bumps and through tight corners. They are tricky but safe, good for beginners yet challenging for experts. Brownlow residents feel this is a colossal waste of council money as their local Black Paths require urgent attention. Brownlow was designed as the ‘New City’. It was part of Prime Minister O’Neill’s vision of a modern Northern Ireland and a product of the 1960’s era of town planning, which includes recreation zones, mixed housing, cycle paths and roundabouts. Black Paths interlink the area and a person can travel from one end to the other without using a road. However parts of this network remain unfinished with paths just ending in some areas. The large road infrastructure in Craigavon is over engineered and dominated by a number of roundabouts. It is often described as a barrier for the residents who wish to commute without the means of a car. The path network alleviates this problem and has therefore

become important to the local people. To see it finally completed would make a huge difference. Similar problems have occurred in other New Towns for example Milton Keynes. Complaints about the indirectness of paths, led to the introduction of cross-city Redways in the late 1980s, which generally run alongside the main roads. There are no continuous footpath routes between estates; pedestrians have to use the Redways. In some places, however, new footpaths have been built adjacent to grid roads to improve access and in response to many pedestrians walking alongside or within these roads. Although walking is a healthy, low cost and sustainable mode of transport its use is on the decline. The general decline in walking has been attributed mainly to the convenience of the car. However a car in Craigavon is sometimes less of a convenience. Bobby Smith a resident of Parkmore say’s ‘Jesus boy I can hoof on over ta shaps in a jiffy but if i was to get in me car it would be a longer operation’!

The New Town of Cumbernauld has recently upgraded walkways. A fully accessible walking path opened in on 20 July. The path, which takes the shape of a snake, follows a 2km route from Craighalbert to Craigmarloch. Rest areas line the route which is wheelchair and cycle friendly. The path passes the Scottish Spina Bifida Association Head Office and the Scottish Centre for Children with Motor Impairments. Children from both centres can be easily taken to adjacent parks and local shops using the pathway. It has become very popular with the local people. The residents of Craigavon deserve a finished path system. For the people that came to Craigavon in the beginning and have remained here all those years it would finally be a sense of completion for the area.

“Roads Service’s budgets for road maintenance and improvement schemes are greatly reduced this year, in line with the four year budget agreed by the Executive. However, Roads Service is using its available resources effectively and continuing to deliver quality public services,” said Danny Kennedy.

The Minister also welcomed Roads Service’s proposed programme for the year ahead including junction improvements on the Donaghcloney Road with the Laural Hill Road, Donaghcloney; Bleary Road with the Drumnacanvey Road, Portadown and the Leansmount Road with Killaghy Road, Aghagallon. These schemes aim to improve driver visibility and improve road alignment at these locations.Speaking at the meeting, Divisional Roads Manager Mr Kevin Monaghan, welcomed last year’s record expenditure on structural maintenance which allowed Roads Service to deliver many much needed projects. A total of 54 kilometres of resurfacing was completed in the Borough.

Will Craigavon’s Cycle Pump Track be another Ski Slope blunder? One issue lies in the perceived bravado needed to take on mountain biking but with Northern Ireland fast becoming a global hot spot for the sport it could well be the right time to cash in on a possibility.

Better known routes in Belfast, Rostrevor and Castlewellan are continually being updated with government funded works and chain reaction cycles producing exhilarating and fun routes. A walk along a forest path will show people from as young as eight years of age to more experienced users of 60+ using the green and red routes.

Of course there is money in the sport as well. a decent bike will set you back well over £1000 with people riding on bikes at the price of a decent family car at the top. Many pople are taking the initiative to bank in as well with the likes of Cloughmore extreme and Gullion Adventure buying in travelling pump tracks to bring education and sport to people across the country.

Its success will lie solely in how the local people accept it as if it were used it would make for a great resource.

Path-Etic

The over engineered road network in Craigavon has since its conception been heavily criticised by local residents and urban planners. Dominated by several roundabouts it is seen as a barrier as opposed to a gateway as it was attended to be. However not to everybody’s liking this extensive infrastructure is here to stay and the preservation of it is paramount. The existing highway that runs like a spine trough Craigavon provides adequate capacity for the volume of traffic that it serves.

Speaking ahead of a meeting between the Roads Service of Northern Ireland and Craigavon District Council, the Minister said: “Last year’s budget for structural maintenance and local transport and safety measures allowed a good range of such schemes to be successfully delivered.

Just-A-BoutBudgeting For The Future Of Our Infrastructure

New Pump Track For Brave Sports Fans

It has become more apparent that a new bus route for Craigavon is required. The current meandering route through the town does not provide the benefits seen in other parts of the country. This is most notable in Portadown and Lurgan which both have their own town service (Highlighted in blue on the map below.)

Many people are left without transport and unfortunately it is the residents furthest from the town centre who are hit the hardest by this fault. Moreover, once you arrive in the centre, there is no steppin out into a fresh station, nor are there any welcoming features. One is greated by the service side of a once beautiful building.

Alternatives have been outlined by several people, most recently by RPS Architects in

Belfast, who had stated many of the social issues in the area could be reduced with a new service, or failing that, a new route.

The potential for a vibrant city is still there, the ground work exists yet, even the smallest of towns cannot survive without adequate transport systems in place. Of course with the new industry growing to the North of the city, the

issue will only get worse before it gets better. residents in the South of Craigavon only have but to walk to the centre currently to work.

Even with its close proximity to Newry, Craigavon has been left without a link to the City. Old routes through Armagh have been cut from rail to bus to nothing and with new transport systems being employed across Northern Ireland, many old buses are being reduced to little more than scrap.

Craigavons position, along the Western motorway to Dungannon from Belfast and in easy proximity with Newry, gives it the potential to become a central hub for much of Northern Irelands industry and transport yet it is alas often over looked for major infrastructural projects.

Bus Routes Need Updating For City Aspirations

Plan Drawings Of The New Pump track

Elevation Drawings Of The New Pump Track

For some time now the Armagh people have been fuelling their homes using peat from the mineral rich grounds around Lough Neagh however, these lands are being eyed up by developers for future industrial use. Locals have reportedly been in uproar over the land, taken from farmers in the 1950’s, being turned into sites for oil and gas fracking. An exploration borehole identified black bituminous oil under the rock in North Armagh. A top of this, underlying shale rock in Lough Neagh basin has been tipped as possibly holding a potential for unconventional shale gas production.One lady held a fear that extracting these materials will result in some of the same issues that digging peat has shown in the area “It’s going to do nothing but ruin the area and the beautiful landscape round our lakes.”

The land holds many other possibilities with one of the most exciting being talked about is the future of prospecting in the area. Some six kilometres to the East of Clontribet in Co.Monaghan, bedrock gold has been identified at a number of localities. Drilling at Cargalisgorran, North of Derrynoose, has identified a zone extending for at least 50 metres, consisting of gold bearing quartz- carbonate veins. At Tivnacree, one kilometre South West, trenching and drilling has identified low-grade gold mineralisation. A spectacular discovery in 1980 as ‘the clay lake nugget’ from Co.Armagh weighing more than 30 grammes left local man Pat Devlin in aw exclaiming “Jeeze, thats some size of a rock.”

Lead and zinc were also mined in Keady with records of 57 shafts, some extending to a depth

of 45 metres in Derrynoose. None of these industries still work and is a saddening sight when you think of the once thriving working brick clay sights of Armagh. Lough Neagh clay, a stretch extending over 500km2, of which 300m2 is under the lough itself were once renowned for their plasticity and strength but no longer is it produced. Many of these industries are being thought of as making a return to an area where employment and in particular for Northern Ireland, industry is of upmost importance.

Essentially, since the closing of the Good Year factory in 1983, Craigavon has struggled to gain any large scale industries. With very little primary industry and even less agriculture, Craigavon became more and more dependant

on its town centre for employment. Further planning developments have pushed for growth to the North East of the town centre, driving a new string of industrial business into the city. In the newly zoned area, 10 units are already in planning and further possibilities loom on the horizon.

Keeping true to its routes however, Craigavon also has a number of sustainable infrastructural projects in sight. the people of Craigavon have rejoiced at the mention of geothermal energy being brought to the area. The benefits of placing a geothermal system close to the triassic-age sherwood sandstone, lowers the depth needed to heat water from 5000metres to a mere 2500metres. A cheap and sustainable

NO FRACKING WAYFirst Fermanagh, then Tyrone... Now its Armaghs turn to go get FRACKED.

A continuing reocourance from the mining of lignite to gas and oil, our nations country sides are being torn apart from greed. People in Craigavon are up in arms about the situation, however more positive skies lie beyond the horizon.

Oil U

nder

Loug

h Nea

gh

Aspirational images once showed a gleaming future of eco friendly trains running silently through an ever developing city with a vibrant CBD. Today Craigavon has little in common with its own portrayal, and the elephant in the room is of course the lack of a connecting public transport system.

Current planning master plans have proposed an “area of search” for a new rail station and a few new routes directed over the rail lines to the new industrial area, but little has been done to further develop any plans. More over, there is little plans as yet for any conclusive bus service to the area, with a single route meandering through the town and not having a designated stop. There have been further inroads into the situation with a group set up to campaign for the reopening of the Portadown to Armagh railway line. This group have been spurred on by the announcement of a new feasibility study into the route.

When compared to many other new towns, Craigavons infrastructural system gave little thought toward any other form of transport than the automobile. The roads had to be built before anything else could become envisaged, much like the piping of a bathroom. Over predictions on the number of cars per

household meant that not only was the system capable for the future city needs, it was in fact over prescribed. Cumbernauld was one such town with a similar issue. As one of the earliest new towns it was trying to avoid the failings of its predecessors and gauging the car sales boom. Although also over prescribed, all the infrastructural routes came into a central location at or close to the town centre, leaving only a 10 minute walk to any part of the town. A lot of its industry tended to be outside of the town in areas zoned specifically for use and it created what was deemed a dormitory culture in that you either worked outside of the town or in the centre and used your home for resting alone. Milton Keynes created an American style grid over the landscape, lessening traffic movement on larger roads and spreading it more evenly. The new towns of the 1950’s and 60’s were of course laid out very differently to the garden cities that preceded them. Letchworth, as with many of the towns of the time decided to plant its industry to the East of the main town, cut off by the railway. Part of the logic was to use prevailing winds to move fumes away from the

seamlessly with the mother city.With the provision of a rail service, new life can breath in a town that has been choked of development for such a long time. The cultural benefits are numerous and obvious but the creation of industrial infrastructure could bring with it the modern day equivalent to Craigavons Good Year.

Regardless of the transport situation in the town, it can be seen as a positive that some of the ambition from the mid-90’s carries on to this day. Positive slogans are painted and written on hte wall s of the town as though made by an anti-vandal. “Things Have Yet To Come In This City”“Discover The Inner Warmth““I Love This Town“All very warming thoughts from an ambitious aspiration.

residential areas of the town.

Each exemplar town uses the infrastructure as a dividing and conjoining mechanism with a complex dichotomy of usage and for the most part, new towns always had quick and easy access to public transport, linking them almost

Aspirationas

Inspiration

way to heat an entire town. The nature of sustainability often runs hand in hand with new towns and following in the footsteps of Thamesmead’s eco park would be yet another positive step in the right direction. In this park, housing water and energy consumptions dropped by 50% and CO2 emissions were lowered by 60%. Thamesmeads future goals with this type of building is for a further 1500 buildings consisting of homes schools and shops to be built.

Aspirational Images For Craigavon

Aspirational Images For Craigavon

Newly Zoned Industrial Areas In The Town

Artists Impretssional Drawings For “NO FRACKING WAY” Campaign

According to a recent report compiled by the Northern Ireland Housing Executive (NIHE) ‘most travellers want to live in conventional housing’. Information compiled by NIHE stems from an annual Comprehensive Traveller Needs Assessment through close studies with the local travelling community and relevant stakeholders.Of the eighty traveller families living in the Craigavon area, 40% dwell in conventional housing while the remaining 60% choose to inhabit some temporary form of accommodation. NIHE is responsible for most of these accommodation provisions. According to the Traveller Needs Assessment 2008, 11% of travellers in Craigavon have no access to electricity, mains water or toilet provisions.Until recently NIHE have primarily focussed on the provision of temporary and serviced sites for travellers in the Craigavon area. One of four permanent traveller sites in Northern Ireland is situated on the outskirts of Craigavon along Monbrief Road. Approximately 20% of Craigavon’s travellers, however, are actually situated within a temporary site on Legahory Green. The site at Legahory came about in 2009 after a number of violent clashes between local residents and travellers over mass illegal camping in the vicinity of Burnside and Legahory. In a desperate bid to soothe both parties, Craigavon council decided drastic measures were needed. According to the Lurgan Mail, in October 2009, ‘Boulders were placed and cemented around green areas in Craigavon to stop travellers using the ground’ to prevent unauthorised use and secure the minds of those living there. Further to this, the affected traveller families were uprooted to a disused stretch of land, where metal fencing and serviced pods containing amenities were placed.The emergency halting site erected five years ago is still in place. In the coming weeks, the Third Comprehensive Needs Assessment is due to be published. This document will outline the NIHE’s Five Year Action Plan specific to housing for the traveller community. This is the time for change if there ever was one. This is the time to campaign for better standards of living for the travelling community. This is the time to campaign for smarter, sensitive solutions to illegal camping in Craigavon’s neighbourhoods. Let’s readdress these shared residential landscapes.

Since the construction of its New Town, Craigavon has suffered from dereliction and demolition due to an ambitious design that relied heavily on a population growth and vast numbers relocating from an overcrowded Belfast. Even now in late 2014, the population for the town is still short of the predicted 100,000 inhabitants that were expected to live there by 1981; only 71, 200 people lived there at the time. The Drumgor Road has become the central spine for where much of the levelling has occurred in Brownlow and approximately 30% of original housing stock has now been lost in the area, lending a distinct sparseness to the landscape. However it was not solely down to a lack of inhabitants that created a surplus of extra housing. For some of the original residents the cash incentives for relocating were simply not enough when the reality of living in a house that was cheaply made, quickly and with poorly planned materials set in. Many people, especially in the Brownlow sector reported issues regarding insulation, heating the house in winter and in particular roofs unable to cope with the Northern Ireland climate. These unsuccessful material choices have resulted in people moving houses and houses abandoned. Demolition is, therefore making room for better houses that will suit a community affected by an economic downturn, the needs of smaller families and an ever increasing elderly population and should be viewed as a positive way of moving

forward. This story of supply and demand for housing is reminiscent of the development in 1960s Ballymun, a New Town north of Dublin City centre as a solution to the tenement housing crisis of the time. The modernist, prefabricated tower blocks began their life as a successful example of social housing yet in reality, greater planning and social issues led to their demise and subsequent demolition. Ballymun has been enjoying a regeneration from late 1998 to 2014 where it has finally become the New Town it set out to be, including a variety of housing to suit all aspects of the community and providing housing of high quality and affordability.Could this be the start of a new beginning for Craigavon?Those that are able to afford it are moving into new-build developer estates, like that of Hillcrest and Lakelands in order to still be part of the community but live in suitable contemporary accommodation. DSD’s Northern Ireland Housing Bulletin reports 386 private sector new build starts in the borough in the year to September 2013. This represents an increase of

85% since last year. A total of 18% of households reside in the private rented sector and the proportion of social housing (13.1%) in the district is less than the Northern Ireland figure of 14.9%. In Craigavon Borough, five new build schemes were completed during 2013-2014, resulting in 29 new social housing units being created.In Craigavon today there is still a strong demand for good quality properties that are not only affordable to everyone but also create sustainable communities like the ones sought after in the original town plan. There is hope within areas of the community that when the local government reforms come into place next April, Craigavon will finally get its second chance and reflect the innovation behind its creation in the late 1960s.

Out With The Old,

In With The New

Boulders and Fences

Mans first need was shelter from the elements. They found the cave. Next was comfort, so straw was laid to give rest for aching bones against the rock. Since then, residents and homes have come a long way yet, famously during the 1960’s, housing began to fail us. Cheap materials, low level labour and an ignorance to the needs of the people lead to inadequate housing. Craigavon was one area with such an issue.

Many of the initial visions of Craigavon’s housing planners in the early 60’s were unrealised. In fact, propaganda images from that era often depict schemes not so different to that of Thamesmead, a new town situated outside of London. Bearing in mind the imminent council reform in May 2015, where Craigavon will become a super council, analysis of successful new towns may be a useful exercise in determining future social housing typologies and

how they can successfully fit in their landscape.Thamesmead is now hailed as a successful new town of its time. The futuristic design is specific to the psyche of that population of planners and architects. Designed and overseen by London County Council (LCC), most buildings were of a residential nature. Structures were robust and brutal, a palate mainly of raw concrete surrounded by landscaped grasses and various road typologies. Social housing was often three, four or five stories, staggered on a horizontal plane. Coincidental social interaction was a key aim of the planners, in an attempt to create a community among thousands of new residents.Despite the great aspirations of both Thamesmead and Craigavon alike, both suffered from the fatigues of anti-social behaviour and many inhabitants felt unsafe. Housing should feel the safest of any other building typologies. Social housing should feel even safer if it is to house the most vulnerable in society. As Andrew from London states in an article compiled by the BBC on 60’s tower blocks;‘I grew up on Thamesmead and as a child it was great due to the open spaces and things to do. As a teenager and young adult it became a hellhole due to the crime, dark underground

passageways, poorly lit parks and abandoned garages in which the gangs would congregate.’Architects and planners in the coming years need to observe social housing on a larger scale, beyond the façade or plan. It seems that with both Thamesmead and Craigavon, housing schemes fail when they are disjointed from activity and surrounded by swathes of grass, parkland and lakes. Density is key, and with the growing population in Craigavon, housing needs to move in, not out.

Social Housing Or

Socialisms

Housing

Burnside ‘Estate‘

Lakeland Estate

An Ex- Estate

According to a recent report compiled by the Northern Ireland Housing Executive (NIHE) ‘most travellers want to live in conventional housing’. Information compiled by NIHE stems from an annual Comprehensive Traveller Needs Assessment through close studies with the local travelling community and relevant stakeholders.Of the eighty traveller families living in the Craigavon area, 40% dwell in conventional housing while the remaining 60% choose to inhabit some temporary form of accommodation. NIHE is responsible for most of these accommodation provisions. According to the Traveller Needs Assessment 2008, 11% of travellers in Craigavon have no access to electricity, mains water or toilet provisions.Until recently NIHE have primarily focussed on the provision of temporary and serviced sites for travellers in the Craigavon area. One of four permanent traveller sites in Northern Ireland is situated on the outskirts of Craigavon along Monbrief Road. Approximately 20% of Craigavon’s travellers, however, are actually situated within a temporary site on Legahory Green. The site at Legahory came about in 2009 after a number of violent clashes between local residents and travellers over mass illegal camping in the vicinity of Burnside and Legahory. In a desperate bid to soothe both parties, Craigavon council decided drastic measures were needed. According to the Lurgan Mail, in October 2009, ‘Boulders were placed and cemented around green areas in Craigavon to stop travellers using the ground’ to prevent unauthorised use and secure the minds of those living there. Further to this, the affected traveller families were uprooted to a disused stretch of land, where metal fencing and serviced pods containing amenities were placed.The emergency halting site erected five years ago is still in place. In the coming weeks, the Third Comprehensive Needs Assessment is due to be published. This document will outline the NIHE’s Five Year Action Plan specific to housing for the traveller community. This is the time for change if there ever was one. This is the time to campaign for better standards of living for the travelling community. This is the time to campaign for smarter, sensitive solutions to illegal camping in Craigavon’s neighbourhoods. Let’s readdress these shared residential landscapes.

Since the construction of its New Town, Craigavon has suffered from dereliction and demolition due to an ambitious design that relied heavily on a population growth and vast numbers relocating from an overcrowded Belfast. Even now in late 2014, the population for the town is still short of the predicted 100,000 inhabitants that were expected to live there by 1981; only 71, 200 people lived there at the time. The Drumgor Road has become the central spine for where much of the levelling has occurred in Brownlow and approximately 30% of original housing stock has now been lost in the area, lending a distinct sparseness to the landscape. However it was not solely down to a lack of inhabitants that created a surplus of extra housing. For some of the original residents the cash incentives for relocating were simply not enough when the reality of living in a house that was cheaply made, quickly and with poorly planned materials set in. Many people, especially in the Brownlow sector reported issues regarding insulation, heating the house in winter and in particular roofs unable to cope with the Northern Ireland climate. These unsuccessful material choices have resulted in people moving houses and houses abandoned. Demolition is, therefore making room for better houses that will suit a community affected by an economic downturn, the needs of smaller families and an ever increasing elderly population and should be viewed as a positive way of moving

forward. This story of supply and demand for housing is reminiscent of the development in 1960s Ballymun, a New Town north of Dublin City centre as a solution to the tenement housing crisis of the time. The modernist, prefabricated tower blocks began their life as a successful example of social housing yet in reality, greater planning and social issues led to their demise and subsequent demolition. Ballymun has been enjoying a regeneration from late 1998 to 2014 where it has finally become the New Town it set out to be, including a variety of housing to suit all aspects of the community and providing housing of high quality and affordability.Could this be the start of a new beginning for Craigavon?Those that are able to afford it are moving into new-build developer estates, like that of Hillcrest and Lakelands in order to still be part of the community but live in suitable contemporary accommodation. DSD’s Northern Ireland Housing Bulletin reports 386 private sector new build starts in the borough in the year to September 2013. This represents an increase of

85% since last year. A total of 18% of households reside in the private rented sector and the proportion of social housing (13.1%) in the district is less than the Northern Ireland figure of 14.9%. In Craigavon Borough, five new build schemes were completed during 2013-2014, resulting in 29 new social housing units being created.In Craigavon today there is still a strong demand for good quality properties that are not only affordable to everyone but also create sustainable communities like the ones sought after in the original town plan. There is hope within areas of the community that when the local government reforms come into place next April, Craigavon will finally get its second chance and reflect the innovation behind its creation in the late 1960s.

Out With The Old,

In With The New

Boulders and Fences

Mans first need was shelter from the elements. They found the cave. Next was comfort, so straw was laid to give rest for aching bones against the rock. Since then, residents and homes have come a long way yet, famously during the 1960’s, housing began to fail us. Cheap materials, low level labour and an ignorance to the needs of the people lead to inadequate housing. Craigavon was one area with such an issue.

Many of the initial visions of Craigavon’s housing planners in the early 60’s were unrealised. In fact, propaganda images from that era often depict schemes not so different to that of Thamesmead, a new town situated outside of London. Bearing in mind the imminent council reform in May 2015, where Craigavon will become a super council, analysis of successful new towns may be a useful exercise in determining future social housing typologies and

how they can successfully fit in their landscape.Thamesmead is now hailed as a successful new town of its time. The futuristic design is specific to the psyche of that population of planners and architects. Designed and overseen by London County Council (LCC), most buildings were of a residential nature. Structures were robust and brutal, a palate mainly of raw concrete surrounded by landscaped grasses and various road typologies. Social housing was often three, four or five stories, staggered on a horizontal plane. Coincidental social interaction was a key aim of the planners, in an attempt to create a community among thousands of new residents.Despite the great aspirations of both Thamesmead and Craigavon alike, both suffered from the fatigues of anti-social behaviour and many inhabitants felt unsafe. Housing should feel the safest of any other building typologies. Social housing should feel even safer if it is to house the most vulnerable in society. As Andrew from London states in an article compiled by the BBC on 60’s tower blocks;‘I grew up on Thamesmead and as a child it was great due to the open spaces and things to do. As a teenager and young adult it became a hellhole due to the crime, dark underground

passageways, poorly lit parks and abandoned garages in which the gangs would congregate.’Architects and planners in the coming years need to observe social housing on a larger scale, beyond the façade or plan. It seems that with both Thamesmead and Craigavon, housing schemes fail when they are disjointed from activity and surrounded by swathes of grass, parkland and lakes. Density is key, and with the growing population in Craigavon, housing needs to move in, not out.

Social Housing Or

Socialisms

Housing

Burnside ‘Estate‘

Lakeland Estate

An Ex- Estate

Work starts on new £25m Craigavon Leisure Centre?Stage one of the new £25m leisure centre in Craigavon has started with experts testing the ground conditions near the Watersports Centre, but when will it be delivered.

A special geotechnical survey was carried out on the land recently at a cost of £9,595.This survey is just the first stage of the major £25 million centre which is due for completion in 2015,Craigavon Council said, “This was a Stage 1 Site Investigation Survey around the Watersports Centre to ascertain the existing ground conditions and the extent of existing gas and water table which will inform the development of a foundation strategy for the new facility.“It involved drilling boreholes up to 20m in depth, excavation of trial pits at strategic locations as well as contamination testing, compaction testing and CBR tests. All of the findings of the survey are then provided in a detailed report which is issued to the design team.”The new centre will include an eight-lane 50 metre pool, a separate learning pool and fun pool; a large multi-purpose sports hall; a large modern gym with health suite; squash courts; multi-use activity and meeting rooms; children’s soft play area; café and six five-a-side synthetic pitches outside.

The proposal is seeking full planning consent for the replacement of an existing non-listed vernacular building. The proposed dwelling is a large two storey dwelling, finished in smooth plaster quoins and a granite chip dash finish. The entrance porch area and sunroom would also be finished to compliment the main body of the dwelling. The dwelling would accommodate four large bedrooms and generous living accommodation. The existing dwelling would be demolished at its roadside position and the new dwelling would be located in a central position within the site. The existing boundary planting would all be retained.

Four Year Drought OverWest Brownlows New House

(Survey consists of planning applications between 01/01/2010 – 20/10/2014)

Craigavon has a massive demand for extensions, particularly West Brownlow.As Brownlow has a large amount of Housing Executive homes

1 in 7 Northern Ireland residents are disabled and on disabled living allowance. Which depending on the disability allows them a grant of up to 25,000 pounds for an extension to facilitate disabled ground floor living accommodation, i.e. bedroom and en-suite.

The majority of social housing in Craigavon along with the rest of the country did not facilitate ground floor bedrooms.

New housing is rare in Craigavon with a notable division across Brownlow. Most Catholic members of Craigavon are choosing to build to the East of Craigavon with most Protestants choosing the West. With the exception of a few, no one is deciding to build new houses in central Craigavon or within Brownlow.

What implications do the future hold for our local trades men and future families. Only time will tell.

WHERE ARE OUR

NEW HOMES?

74% OF ALL RESIDENTAL PLAN-NINGAPPLICATIONS IN CRAIGAVON ARE EXTENSIONS!

How do we spark Craigavon’s investment?tCraigavon’s ‘Sister New Town’ Shannon, Ireland getting investment from US and China.A key reason may be a kind of free-trade pilgrimage — to the Shannon Free Zone, first visited by Jiang Zemin, the former Chinese Communist Party chief but then a vice minister of the State Imports and Exports Administration, in 1980.Chinese officials often say the free-trade area, set up in 1959, was a model for their own successful Special Economic Zones in southern China, which powered economic reform here starting in 1980. China now wants to upgrade its industries, and the high-tech Shannon Free Zone is of interest as a regional model, Irish commentators said.Other leaders who have visited Shannon include two prime ministers, Wen Jiabao and Zhu Rongji, and two vice prime ministers, Huang Ju and Zeng Peiyan. During his own visit, Mr. Xi requested a personal briefing from Dr. Vincent Cunnane, the chief executive of Shannon Development, which runs the zone, the company said in a statement.

Shannon’s free trade area is pulling in investment.

Its suggested a free trade zone in Craigavon would complete the original vision of a City full of industry. Looking toward Cumbernauld however, the use of a main arterial route and cheaper land led to the boom in industry seen in the Scottish city. Located in close proximity to both Glasgow and Edinburgh along with being a stones throw away from Sterling, Cumbernauld Boomed. Craigavon of course is located nicely along the Western route between Belfast and Dungannon however, its link to Newry has been substantially cut off. An industrial triangle used to exist between Belfast, Newry and the Craigavon area when rail was used for industrial transport and of course, there are shouts to bring the routs from Armagh back to Craigavon. A New motorway joining the South bound motorway needs to be initiated to increase ease of movement south ward.

As a note of warning from others, the likes of Ballymun, with its lack of both retail and industry are in their second newtown or their “new, new town“ due to their lack of jobs. Others like Milton Keynes, Letchworth or Thamesmead have their own retail and industry in parts, but they are attached to one of the largest super cities in the world and can always rely on demand and jobs.

Craigavon cannot however, so however, wherever, Craigavon needs a quick injection of pace.

New Leisure Centre Works Begin

Work starts on new £25m Craigavon Leisure Centre?Stage one of the new £25m leisure centre in Craigavon has started with experts testing the ground conditions near the Watersports Centre, but when will it be delivered.

A special geotechnical survey was carried out on the land recently at a cost of £9,595.This survey is just the first stage of the major £25 million centre which is due for completion in 2015,Craigavon Council said, “This was a Stage 1 Site Investigation Survey around the Watersports Centre to ascertain the existing ground conditions and the extent of existing gas and water table which will inform the development of a foundation strategy for the new facility.“It involved drilling boreholes up to 20m in depth, excavation of trial pits at strategic locations as well as contamination testing, compaction testing and CBR tests. All of the findings of the survey are then provided in a detailed report which is issued to the design team.”The new centre will include an eight-lane 50 metre pool, a separate learning pool and fun pool; a large multi-purpose sports hall; a large modern gym with health suite; squash courts; multi-use activity and meeting rooms; children’s soft play area; café and six five-a-side synthetic pitches outside.

The proposal is seeking full planning consent for the replacement of an existing non-listed vernacular building. The proposed dwelling is a large two storey dwelling, finished in smooth plaster quoins and a granite chip dash finish. The entrance porch area and sunroom would also be finished to compliment the main body of the dwelling. The dwelling would accommodate four large bedrooms and generous living accommodation. The existing dwelling would be demolished at its roadside position and the new dwelling would be located in a central position within the site. The existing boundary planting would all be retained.

Four Year Drought OverWest Brownlows New House

(Survey consists of planning applications between 01/01/2010 – 20/10/2014)

Craigavon has a massive demand for extensions, particularly West Brownlow.As Brownlow has a large amount of Housing Executive homes

1 in 7 Northern Ireland residents are disabled and on disabled living allowance. Which depending on the disability allows them a grant of up to 25,000 pounds for an extension to facilitate disabled ground floor living accommodation, i.e. bedroom and en-suite.

The majority of social housing in Craigavon along with the rest of the country did not facilitate ground floor bedrooms.

New housing is rare in Craigavon with a notable division across Brownlow. Most Catholic members of Craigavon are choosing to build to the East of Craigavon with most Protestants choosing the West. With the exception of a few, no one is deciding to build new houses in central Craigavon or within Brownlow.

What implications do the future hold for our local trades men and future families. Only time will tell.

WHERE ARE OUR

NEW HOMES?

74% OF ALL RESIDENTAL PLAN-NINGAPPLICATIONS IN CRAIGAVON ARE EXTENSIONS!

How do we spark Craigavon’s investment?tCraigavon’s ‘Sister New Town’ Shannon, Ireland getting investment from US and China.A key reason may be a kind of free-trade pilgrimage — to the Shannon Free Zone, first visited by Jiang Zemin, the former Chinese Communist Party chief but then a vice minister of the State Imports and Exports Administration, in 1980.Chinese officials often say the free-trade area, set up in 1959, was a model for their own successful Special Economic Zones in southern China, which powered economic reform here starting in 1980. China now wants to upgrade its industries, and the high-tech Shannon Free Zone is of interest as a regional model, Irish commentators said.Other leaders who have visited Shannon include two prime ministers, Wen Jiabao and Zhu Rongji, and two vice prime ministers, Huang Ju and Zeng Peiyan. During his own visit, Mr. Xi requested a personal briefing from Dr. Vincent Cunnane, the chief executive of Shannon Development, which runs the zone, the company said in a statement.

Shannon’s free trade area is pulling in investment.

Its suggested a free trade zone in Craigavon would complete the original vision of a City full of industry. Looking toward Cumbernauld however, the use of a main arterial route and cheaper land led to the boom in industry seen in the Scottish city. Located in close proximity to both Glasgow and Edinburgh along with being a stones throw away from Sterling, Cumbernauld Boomed. Craigavon of course is located nicely along the Western route between Belfast and Dungannon however, its link to Newry has been substantially cut off. An industrial triangle used to exist between Belfast, Newry and the Craigavon area when rail was used for industrial transport and of course, there are shouts to bring the routs from Armagh back to Craigavon. A New motorway joining the South bound motorway needs to be initiated to increase ease of movement south ward.

As a note of warning from others, the likes of Ballymun, with its lack of both retail and industry are in their second newtown or their “new, new town“ due to their lack of jobs. Others like Milton Keynes, Letchworth or Thamesmead have their own retail and industry in parts, but they are attached to one of the largest super cities in the world and can always rely on demand and jobs.

Craigavon cannot however, so however, wherever, Craigavon needs a quick injection of pace.

New Leisure Centre Works Begin

In case you haven’t heard planning process is in motion for change. A new Super-council system plans to join existing district areas to create larger central service structure for NI planning. Armagh, Banbridge, Craigavon, Down, Newry & Mourn is combining to this centralised effect. Two main headquarters in Craigavon and Down will serve all other areas. Transfer of the majority of planning functions to the new 11 councils is due to take place in April 2015. Our current planning takes an incred-ible amount of time in determining value, review and instigation of simple development projects. Reform ‘promises’ to streamline the awkward bureaucracies of a largely regional control by more localised and immediate council aims for improvement. The ques-tion of whether this creates a more positive planning approach is something that will only be established when it begins.

Your Chance for Change! In addition, the major structural reform of the plan-ning system required to deliver the RPA will see decision-making on planning applications and local development planning become the responsibility of the new district councils. This will make planning much more locally accountable, giving local politi-

cians the opportunity to shape the areas within which they are elected. It will also improve the decision-making processes by bringing an enhanced understanding of the needs and aspirations of local communities.

The Department is re-examining the arrangements by which planning authorities (whether district coun-cils or the Department) will consult other bodies on applications for planning permission. Hopefully new consultation approach will involve more insight and approval from the people who projects will directly affect. Public insight is something Queens Archi-tecture students are trying to engage with, in their current exploration of Craigavon’s potential new New-townscape.

Planning proposals intend to:

• Speed up the plan preparation process• Ensure more effective participation from the community and other key stakeholders early in plan preparation• Ensure a more flexible approach that is responsive to change and capable of faster review. The new local development plan system will provide more clarity and predictability for developers, the public and other stakeholders. It will also assist the new 11 district councils to target action to tackle social need and promote social inclusion.

Developer Contributions?The Department is seeking views on the contribu-tion that the development industry might make to the provision of infrastructure (such as roads, water and sewerage) necessary for Northern Ireland’s economic and social improvement. This proposes a worrying affiliation in change. If importance and willingness is placed on privately funded service pro-visions (to save expense) could quality and integrity of private projects in the community be overlooked to balance council costs?

However, it is proposed that district councils will be required to prepare a statement of community in-volvement which will set out procedures for involving local communities in the preparation and revision of local development plan documents and for consult-ing on planning applications. Similarly, the develop-ment management proposals are designed to allow for more proportionate decision-making mechanisms and should therefore enable district councils to focus resources on those development proposals which are of the greatest economic and social benefit in their areas. Hopefully this assured transparency and communication will result in more successful

outcomes. The proposals also allow for increased community engagement at an earlier stage in the process and, as such, facilitate and encourage the inclusion and consideration of the views of communi-ties with the greatest social need, who might other-wise be excluded. In preparation let’s hope any BIG plans for Craigavon’s future satisfy just that!

A major reform programme for the planning system in Northern Ireland was originally an-nounced in November 2007 and incorporates a range of medium to long-term measures designed to address all the key management elements of the planning system including development plans, policy and development management.The NI Executive agreed to the final policy proposals for reform of the planning system in February 2010, including the measures necessary to trans-fer the majority of planning functions to the new district councils.

Craigavon’s commercial appeal has always been synonymous with Rushmere. Since its 1960s incep-tion it has continued to exert a point of focus for Craigavon’s commercial, civic, residential and infra-structural developments. Craigavon’s planning pat-tern continues to exert a great deal of energy on its ‘Americana Shopping Mall’ today. For Craigavon it is the only commercial zone and so holds some per-suasive invest worthy weight to new plans, although, is this justification enough to place all new progres-sive development on? The council in consultation with RDS have explored re-development of a new ‘town centre’, centring on Rushmere. The large scale plans are loose and hairy and do suppose some new infrastructural transport that the town needs, but they fail to indicate to the larger living expanse social improvement. A new civic boost is expected by the addition of a new leisure complex developed by J H Turkington & Sons Ltd. Craigavon Entertain-ment Village will be located on 3.5 acres of land close to the Rushmere Centre between Lurgan and Portadown. The developers have been granted full planning permission for a cinema, five restaurants and one retail unit. Omniplex Cinemas

will be the anchor tenant with a new eight screen digital cinema, which will be its twelfth opening in Northern Ireland.

“At present, people living within the Craigavon area have to travel considerable distances to towns and cities such as Armagh, Banbridge, Newry and Lisburn if they want to go to the cinema. Now they will have a new amenity on their doorstep, which is bound to boost the social and cultural life of the local community.” (Mark Carron, Osbourne King)

The boundary of Craigavon’s ‘existing’ centre identified by the council encapsulates Rushmere’s expanse, the majority of which is privately owned. It’s hard to imagine how best corporate monopoly can engage with the larger needs of the town centre landscape. A screenshot of planning projects indi-cates an endeavour from homeowners to improve their place of living. At the same time civic projects lean to isolate themselves and secure existing ameni-ties. Greater effort needs placed on connecting existing and future development together, to stop more built islands being presented as solutions to planning problems.

CURRENT MARKET CAPTUREDBut is the Future?

Commercial Land in a Rural Sea

The 2010 Craigavon masterplanning report dis-cussed planning policy developments for the town centre. The planning policy context has also changed in recent years, which is also favourable to Central Craigavon’s development. Having been des-ignated as a town centre in the adopted Craigavon Area Plan, the draft Craigavon Town Centre Bound-aries and Retail Designation Plan set a constraining boundary around the Central area. The accompany-ing retail capacity study had highlighted

that with the modest population projections, there was not scope for Central Craigavon to develop further without taking trade from neighbouring cen-tres. The following PAC hearing found that having been designated as a town centre in the adopted Craigavon Area Plan, Central Craigavon is entitled to the policy benefits which that designation confers under PPS5.

The PAC recommended, and the Planning Service

accepted that the boundary of Central Craigavon should be extended to include lands to the east of Lakeview Road and the north and south of the Civic Centre. Also included were lands to the west of the courthouse and Marlborough House, as far as Highfield Road and extending southwards as far as Mandeville Road to include the Marlborough Retail Park and adjacent open areas. With the changed planning context, improved economic conditions and a private sector will to develop,

Central Craigavon once again has a future. Over the next 20 years Central Craigavon will develop and a have a significant regional role. That said, its form will probably be driven by the private sector and market forces rather than the contrived original vision and planned approach dreamt up over forty years ago.

CRAIGAVON ISLAND

In case you haven’t heard planning process is in motion for change. A new Super-council system plans to join existing district areas to create larger central service structure for NI planning. Armagh, Banbridge, Craigavon, Down, Newry & Mourn is combining to this centralised effect. Two main headquarters in Craigavon and Down will serve all other areas. Transfer of the majority of planning functions to the new 11 councils is due to take place in April 2015. Our current planning takes an incred-ible amount of time in determining value, review and instigation of simple development projects. Reform ‘promises’ to streamline the awkward bureaucracies of a largely regional control by more localised and immediate council aims for improvement. The ques-tion of whether this creates a more positive planning approach is something that will only be established when it begins.

Your Chance for Change! In addition, the major structural reform of the plan-ning system required to deliver the RPA will see decision-making on planning applications and local development planning become the responsibility of the new district councils. This will make planning much more locally accountable, giving local politi-

cians the opportunity to shape the areas within which they are elected. It will also improve the decision-making processes by bringing an enhanced understanding of the needs and aspirations of local communities.

The Department is re-examining the arrangements by which planning authorities (whether district coun-cils or the Department) will consult other bodies on applications for planning permission. Hopefully new consultation approach will involve more insight and approval from the people who projects will directly affect. Public insight is something Queens Archi-tecture students are trying to engage with, in their current exploration of Craigavon’s potential new New-townscape.

Planning proposals intend to:

• Speed up the plan preparation process• Ensure more effective participation from the community and other key stakeholders early in plan preparation• Ensure a more flexible approach that is responsive to change and capable of faster review. The new local development plan system will provide more clarity and predictability for developers, the public and other stakeholders. It will also assist the new 11 district councils to target action to tackle social need and promote social inclusion.

Developer Contributions?The Department is seeking views on the contribu-tion that the development industry might make to the provision of infrastructure (such as roads, water and sewerage) necessary for Northern Ireland’s economic and social improvement. This proposes a worrying affiliation in change. If importance and willingness is placed on privately funded service pro-visions (to save expense) could quality and integrity of private projects in the community be overlooked to balance council costs?

However, it is proposed that district councils will be required to prepare a statement of community in-volvement which will set out procedures for involving local communities in the preparation and revision of local development plan documents and for consult-ing on planning applications. Similarly, the develop-ment management proposals are designed to allow for more proportionate decision-making mechanisms and should therefore enable district councils to focus resources on those development proposals which are of the greatest economic and social benefit in their areas. Hopefully this assured transparency and communication will result in more successful

outcomes. The proposals also allow for increased community engagement at an earlier stage in the process and, as such, facilitate and encourage the inclusion and consideration of the views of communi-ties with the greatest social need, who might other-wise be excluded. In preparation let’s hope any BIG plans for Craigavon’s future satisfy just that!

A major reform programme for the planning system in Northern Ireland was originally an-nounced in November 2007 and incorporates a range of medium to long-term measures designed to address all the key management elements of the planning system including development plans, policy and development management.The NI Executive agreed to the final policy proposals for reform of the planning system in February 2010, including the measures necessary to trans-fer the majority of planning functions to the new district councils.

Craigavon’s commercial appeal has always been synonymous with Rushmere. Since its 1960s incep-tion it has continued to exert a point of focus for Craigavon’s commercial, civic, residential and infra-structural developments. Craigavon’s planning pat-tern continues to exert a great deal of energy on its ‘Americana Shopping Mall’ today. For Craigavon it is the only commercial zone and so holds some per-suasive invest worthy weight to new plans, although, is this justification enough to place all new progres-sive development on? The council in consultation with RDS have explored re-development of a new ‘town centre’, centring on Rushmere. The large scale plans are loose and hairy and do suppose some new infrastructural transport that the town needs, but they fail to indicate to the larger living expanse social improvement. A new civic boost is expected by the addition of a new leisure complex developed by J H Turkington & Sons Ltd. Craigavon Entertain-ment Village will be located on 3.5 acres of land close to the Rushmere Centre between Lurgan and Portadown. The developers have been granted full planning permission for a cinema, five restaurants and one retail unit. Omniplex Cinemas

will be the anchor tenant with a new eight screen digital cinema, which will be its twelfth opening in Northern Ireland.

“At present, people living within the Craigavon area have to travel considerable distances to towns and cities such as Armagh, Banbridge, Newry and Lisburn if they want to go to the cinema. Now they will have a new amenity on their doorstep, which is bound to boost the social and cultural life of the local community.” (Mark Carron, Osbourne King)

The boundary of Craigavon’s ‘existing’ centre identified by the council encapsulates Rushmere’s expanse, the majority of which is privately owned. It’s hard to imagine how best corporate monopoly can engage with the larger needs of the town centre landscape. A screenshot of planning projects indi-cates an endeavour from homeowners to improve their place of living. At the same time civic projects lean to isolate themselves and secure existing ameni-ties. Greater effort needs placed on connecting existing and future development together, to stop more built islands being presented as solutions to planning problems.

CURRENT MARKET CAPTUREDBut is the Future?

Commercial Land in a Rural Sea

The 2010 Craigavon masterplanning report dis-cussed planning policy developments for the town centre. The planning policy context has also changed in recent years, which is also favourable to Central Craigavon’s development. Having been des-ignated as a town centre in the adopted Craigavon Area Plan, the draft Craigavon Town Centre Bound-aries and Retail Designation Plan set a constraining boundary around the Central area. The accompany-ing retail capacity study had highlighted

that with the modest population projections, there was not scope for Central Craigavon to develop further without taking trade from neighbouring cen-tres. The following PAC hearing found that having been designated as a town centre in the adopted Craigavon Area Plan, Central Craigavon is entitled to the policy benefits which that designation confers under PPS5.

The PAC recommended, and the Planning Service

accepted that the boundary of Central Craigavon should be extended to include lands to the east of Lakeview Road and the north and south of the Civic Centre. Also included were lands to the west of the courthouse and Marlborough House, as far as Highfield Road and extending southwards as far as Mandeville Road to include the Marlborough Retail Park and adjacent open areas. With the changed planning context, improved economic conditions and a private sector will to develop,

Central Craigavon once again has a future. Over the next 20 years Central Craigavon will develop and a have a significant regional role. That said, its form will probably be driven by the private sector and market forces rather than the contrived original vision and planned approach dreamt up over forty years ago.

CRAIGAVON ISLAND

EXPLORE OTHER

NEW TOWNS

Only 2 minutes from the International Shannon Aiport, enjoy the privileged area of the estuary in South Ireland and also the recently modernized fa-cilities of the town center. Come to live in the city of

Want to get a great job in the Free Zone Industrial Estate ?

SHANNON NEW TOWN

MODERNITY ABSORBING

‘THE LOST CITY OF CRAIGAVON’ screeningsaturday 25 october 2014 , ulster musuem , 3.00-4.30 pm Film screening & discussion with Victor Sloan (notable photographer), Michael Corr (PLACE) and one ofCraigavon’s original planners.

guided bus tour of craigavonsaturday 1 november 2014 , 10:00Am Guided tour with some notable names involved in the initial planning of Craigavon.BBC Radio Ulster will be on the bus to set the mood and record stories.An event not to be missed if you have some burning questions or stories to tell about Craigavon.

ideas symposiumtuesday 28 october 2014 , david keir building, qub Craigavon’s dedicated symposium meet to share and celebrate research, ideas and exhibits.Expect discussion between students, tutors and visitors to the school.

USEFUL WEBSITESwww.craigavonqueens.comwww.belfastfestival.comwww.placeni.orgnireland.britishcouncil.orgwww.labiennale.orgwwwww.victorsloan.com

‘CRAIGAVON NEW TOWN; 50 YEARS OF MODERNITY’ EXHIBITIONFRIDAY 24 OCTOBER - SATURDAY 1 NOVEMBER 2014, golden thread gallery -Display of new and archival photography by Victor Sloan. -Historical images and information documenting the founding of Craigavon. -Modernity in Northern Irelands only 60s New Town. -Display of stitched map recording Craigavon today.

TOO MANY PATHS CROSSED

Across1. Ephemera in Burnside’s Skyscape2. Temporary Garage4. Popular Garden Item in Enniskeen 5. Dennis5. Dennis’ Garden Concept7. The Roof pitch

DOWN1. Stones on the walls3. Public Illumination 4. Making empty5. Houses put together

Yesterday’s Winner: Justin Campbell: Proud owner of an ‘I LOVE CRAIGAVON’ T-shirt

residential riddle CRAIGAVON QUIPS

CRAIG HAPPENING

IT’S A LITTLE STUFFY

EXPLORE OTHER

NEW TOWNS

Only 2 minutes from the International Shannon Aiport, enjoy the privileged area of the estuary in South Ireland and also the recently modernized fa-cilities of the town center. Come to live in the city of

Want to get a great job in the Free Zone Industrial Estate ?

SHANNON NEW TOWN

MODERNITY ABSORBING

‘THE LOST CITY OF CRAIGAVON’ screeningsaturday 25 october 2014 , ulster musuem , 3.00-4.30 pm Film screening & discussion with Victor Sloan (notable photographer), Michael Corr (PLACE) and one ofCraigavon’s original planners.

guided bus tour of craigavonsaturday 1 november 2014 , 10:00Am Guided tour with some notable names involved in the initial planning of Craigavon.BBC Radio Ulster will be on the bus to set the mood and record stories.An event not to be missed if you have some burning questions or stories to tell about Craigavon.

ideas symposiumtuesday 28 october 2014 , david keir building, qub Craigavon’s dedicated symposium meet to share and celebrate research, ideas and exhibits.Expect discussion between students, tutors and visitors to the school.

USEFUL WEBSITESwww.craigavonqueens.comwww.belfastfestival.comwww.placeni.orgnireland.britishcouncil.orgwww.labiennale.orgwwwww.victorsloan.com

‘CRAIGAVON NEW TOWN; 50 YEARS OF MODERNITY’ EXHIBITIONFRIDAY 24 OCTOBER - SATURDAY 1 NOVEMBER 2014, golden thread gallery -Display of new and archival photography by Victor Sloan. -Historical images and information documenting the founding of Craigavon. -Modernity in Northern Irelands only 60s New Town. -Display of stitched map recording Craigavon today.

TOO MANY PATHS CROSSED

Across1. Ephemera in Burnside’s Skyscape2. Temporary Garage4. Popular Garden Item in Enniskeen 5. Dennis5. Dennis’ Garden Concept7. The Roof pitch

DOWN1. Stones on the walls3. Public Illumination 4. Making empty5. Houses put together

Yesterday’s Winner: Justin Campbell: Proud owner of an ‘I LOVE CRAIGAVON’ T-shirt

residential riddle CRAIGAVON QUIPS

CRAIG HAPPENING

IT’S A LITTLE STUFFY