Education Minister Paul Givan cutting the Sod, alongside The Mayor, Councillor Ciarán McQuillan, with pupils Hannah McKeeman from Ballycastle High School and Turlough Macgiolladhuinn from Cross and Passion College.
The Education Minister, Paul Givan, has joined the Mayor, Council staff, partner agencies and representatives from local schools for the official sod cutting of Ballycastle’s new Shared Education Campus.
The much-anticipated project, which is at the forefront of innovation in the post-primary education sector in Northern Ireland, has received funding of £3.8 million pounds from Council.
Mayor of Causeway Coast and Glens Councillor Ciarán McQuillan said:
“I am delighted that this project has overcome all the challenges of recent years and that we will now see the long-awaited new school buildings rise from the ground.
The Mayor, Councillor Ciarán McQuillan, with Ballycastle High School Principal Ian Williamson and school pupils.
“It is our hope that the young people of Ballycastle and the wider community will use and enjoy the new campus and particularly use the sports facilities.
“Council is delighted to have played a part, in helping make this dream become a reality and I look forward to seeing this fantastic new facility completed in the near future.”
The shared campus will service both Ballycastle, and the wider catchment areas encompassing Cross & Passion College and Ballycastle High School and will bring young people from all backgrounds together through Council investment, offering state of the art sports facilities and community programming.
Education Minister Paul Givan, pictured with The Mayor, Councillor Ciarán McQuillan, Principal of Cross and Passion College Geraldine Duffy and Ballycastle Parish Priest Father Brian Daley, pictured inside Ballycastle High school.
Council’s Director of Leisure and Development, Pat Mulvenna, commented:
“This recent investment in Ballycastle sits alongside a range of Council supported new projects in the town including: this new Shared Education Campus and community sports facilities at a cost of £3.8m, a new swimming pool and leisure centre at Quay Road at a cost of around £15m.
“A public realm project in the Diamond area at £1.8m, a refurbishment project at Ballycastle Museum at a cost of around £1.9m; and a potential new parking hub at the Sheskburn House site as part of the Growth Deal.”