Newry Armagh Sinn Féin Sinn Féin -- Building an Ireland of Equals

'Great disappoinment at damage caused to walled garden in Creggan

Published: 13 February, 2010

Sinn Féin councillor, Terry Hearty has expressed his 'great disappointment' as vandals have damaged the walled garden in the Lawns, Creggan.

Cllr Hearty said;

"It was with great disappointment that I heard about the damage and destruction which had been done to walled garden in the Lawns in Creggan.

"The community here is very lucky to have such a facility on our own doorstep. Many people would travel a long way to come and see a place like this. However, a very small minority would try and destroy it at the expense of the rest of the community who really appreciate it.

"Unfortunately the thugs didn't stop at this. They decided to wreck the stone garden beside the play park, turning over the big flowerpots, as the flowers are ready to blossom.

"All of these facilities and environmental schemes, which made a major difference to Creggan, were made by a hard-working committee on a voluntary basis.

"The change in creggan in the last 12-15 years is unbelievable and it didn't come easy to the residents group. There was many evenings and nights spent filling application forms for funding. Some of these applications were 60 pages deep. Many days were spent weeding flowers, weeding flowerbeds, watering flower baskets and collecting the 50-50 around the houses on wet evenings. The one reason funders worked so well with the resident group was that all the work done over the years was well looked after and funders knew it was money well spent.

"I am calling on parents to make sure that their children are not involved with the small minority who are trying to undo all of the good work done by the residents group done in the last 12-15 years."