Bond Street Community Association's Community Park, co-ordinated by the Waterside Area Partnership, has transformed a playground which had become a drinking den and focus for anti-social behaviour in the Bonds Street area of Londonderry's Waterside.
It was local grandmother Margaret Cairns who got the ball rolling when by chance she happened to see an ad for the Big Lottery Fund's People's Millions competition in her local paper.
"We'd had a meeting about the park and the state it was in. I don't think it'd had so much as a lick of paint in all those years since it was built and now my children were having children who needed somewhere to play," she said.
"This will make all the difference to the children, for boy did they need something!
"I think it's wonderful how it's all come together. It just shows what you can do when you get together and everyone's pushing in the same direction. This is a great community to live in and I've been here 50 years!"
Said Lloyd Magee, of Bonds Street Community Association which instigated the make-over: "This is the first regeneration of its kind that this area has seen. We're all so excited that the park is finally going to be open – children are stopping me in the street to ask when they can use it."
Contest
Lloyd, who's lived in the area all his life, said the old park had been built almost 40 years ago during which time it hadn't been upgraded. When the community association entered the Big Lottery Fund's People's Millions contest in 2007 only a couple of swings were left in a glass strewn, derelict site.
Local people, however, were right behind the project and, with the campaigning help of pupils from neighbouring Ebrington Primary School, steamrollered to victory in the £80,000 People's Millions jackpot.
The play area will help transform one of the most deprived areas of the city which up to now has not had a focal point.
He continued: "This is an area of densely packed housing which used to have a really vibrant community spirit, but as more houses were rented out and people came and went that sense of community was lost to a greater extent.
"Most of the houses are 1920s terraces with no gardens and because there's a heavy through-flow of traffic in the area too children just can't get out to play.
"This will give young children somewhere safe to play, it means parents too - as well as older people - will have somewhere relaxing to come and sit to enjoy the planting and wildlife we hope it will attract."
With four trustees responsible for opening and locking the park daily, Lloyd is confident local people will have a renewed sense of pride in this state of the art facility. "The community is right behind us in all this. They've a new sense of ownership of this area thanks to the fact we actually let the children pick what equipment would be installed," he said.
During an open day pictures of various pieces of play equipment were on display and children asked to rate their favourites.
"They put stars beside the ones they'd like in their park and that's what's in place today. That also includes equipment which can be specifically modified for use by children with a disability, so the park is inclusive in every sense," said Lloyd.
Hilary McClintock, community development officer with the Waterside Area Partnership, said: "This project is fantastic for the people of the Bonds Street area. The park has transformed not only the physical environment but will also contribute to improving the quality of life for local people by encouraging safe active play in a very busy built up area.
"The playground was in a very dilapidated state, dominated by hard surfacing, broken glass and weeds. Play equipment had been removed over the years so there were only a couple of swings left; the kick-about was crumbling and unsafe to run on.
She added: "The park is now a focal point for the entire community which will provide a relaxing meeting place for all ages in the community."
Phase one of the project was possible through the People's Millions winnings which were also supported by partnership funding and assistance from Derry City Council (who will continue to maintain the park.) Funding secured from the Department of Social Development (Neighbourhood Renewal,) Groundwork NI (who drew up the initial plan), the PSNI and the Big Lottery Fund's Breathing Places programme allowed the further phases of the project to be completed.