Heritage Streets Alive visits the city

Three street communities, Fountain and Chamberlain Streets in Londonderry and Church lane in Letterkenny, came together last week to envision better futures for their streets.
By The Newsroom
Published 6th Jul 2015, 14:40 BST
The delegates took part in a workshop as part of the day's events, and will reconvene on July 16, before making presentations on their ideas in August.The delegates took part in a workshop as part of the day's events, and will reconvene on July 16, before making presentations on their ideas in August.
The delegates took part in a workshop as part of the day's events, and will reconvene on July 16, before making presentations on their ideas in August.

Ground-breaking work took place last week as the Peace Walls Project and Letterkenny’s Cathedral Quarter committee collaborated to co-create visions for the three historic side streets.

Having spent most of June inquiring into these street’s many strengths, on Tuesday last Fountain Street and Chamberlain Street communities travelled to Church Lane, Letterkenny, where Colm Murray, the Heritage Council’s architecture officer interacted with the groups.

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After exploring the street, tea was served, and then the group travelled to Fountain Street in Londonderry, to look at the last remaining terrace of workers’ housing backing onto the city walls, and former residents Hazel Philson and John Strickland were taken back to their childhood.

Hazel Philson being interviewed in Fountain Street during the Heritage Streets Alive project last week.Hazel Philson being interviewed in Fountain Street during the Heritage Streets Alive project last week.
Hazel Philson being interviewed in Fountain Street during the Heritage Streets Alive project last week.

Then it was off to Chamberlain Street where former residents Sheila Ó Comáin, Veronica Holmes and her Harvey Street cousin Geraldine McGurk, shared their childhood memories. The story of picturesque Waterloo Street’s remarkable regeneration over the past 12 years was told by Ronan O’Donnell, project officer with the Walled City Partnership and after refreshments the groups rolled up their sleeves for an afternoon of creative visioning.

Fired up for more the group will reconvene on Thursday, July 16, in Holywell Trust at 2pm to develop their creative visions.

Their ideas will become the foundations for a series of presentation in each of the three streets as part of Heritage Week on Saturday, August 29.

For more on this visit www.heritageweek.ie