A new shared centre for women and their families is to be built in West Belfast , it was announced on Friday.
The new facility, which will be built with €6.5 million of EU funding, will be located in the interface area at Lanark Way .
The announcement comes ahead of International Women’s Day on March 8.
The new space will be known as the Shankill Shared Women’s Centre.
Its aim is to create a welcoming, safe and accessible shared space for women and their families from both communities.
Speaking ahead of a ceremony to officially launch the project, Lord Mayor, Councillor Daniel Baker, said: “It is extremely fitting that we’re launching this amazing new cross community facility for women and their families ahead of this year’s International Women’s Day.
“One of the key priorities in the Belfast Agenda, the city’s long-term community plan, is to make life better for all our residents by improving our neighbourhoods, supporting and caring for people who face multiple challenges and improving community relations. For the communities in this part of Belfast, this facility will make a huge contribution, so it is to be warmly welcomed by all.”
The Belfast City Council-led project is being funded through the EU’s PEACE IV Programme.
Director of Regeneration for Belfast at the Department for Communities, Mark O’Donnell, said: "The investment will not only see the creation of a unique shared space developed on a cross community basis but also the transformation of a derelict site.
“The project represents an excellent opportunity to build on the work carried out by the Shankill Women’s Centre since 1987. Since then the centre has grown in success and popularity, offering women from the Shankill, Clonard and surrounding areas many opportunities in health and education.
“Having outgrown your current premises this state of the art centre will provide a new space to provide increased opportunities for ‘meaningful, purposeful and sustained’ contact between women, children and young people from both sides of the interface area.”
For more information on Belfast’s PEACE IV shared spaces capital projects, visit www.belfastcity.gov.uk/investment
