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Belfast Live
Belfast Live
National
Anna McAree

Waterloo Street Night Lights artwork unveiled as part of Covid-19 recovery programme

A new lights installation has been unveiled as part of Derry City and Strabane District Council's Covid Recovery and Revitalisation campaign.

Mayor Alderman Graham Warke unveiled a stunning new art work hanging over Waterloo Place that aims to support the night time economy in the area.

The 'Night Lights' are part of Derry Council's Covid Recovery plan to support local businesses on their journey towards recovery.

The project is funded by the Department for Communities and aims to help restore confidence in visiting local shops, bars and restaurants and support the recovery of the local economy.

The Night Lights span the entirety of Waterloo Street, one of the major city centre streets that is home to many independent businesses and the hub of local nightlife.

The ever changing kaleidoscope of colour intends to reflect the vibrancy of the characters and cultures who visit the street and lift and shift the mood of all who walk up and down it.

The Mayor Alderman Graham Warke pictured in Waterloo Street with the new overhead lighting installation which has been switched on. Included are from left, William McGuinness, Peadar O'Donnell’s, Barry Davis, Echo Echo, Andrea Campbell, Derry City Strabane District Council Festival and Events Officer, Jim Roddy CEO City Centre Initiative and Stephanie English, Checkpoint Charlie. (Martin McKeown)

Mayor Warke welcomed the new art work and expressed his hope that it would give businesses in the area a much needed boost.

He said: "I am delighted to launch this stunning artwork which will bring a real splash of colour to Waterloo Street in the dark.

"The Inside Out programme first took to the streets last year when restrictions were eased over the summer months and it received a positive response from people of all ages and encouraged footfall back into the City Centre through outdoor décor and furniture.

"This has been a hugely challenging couple of years for local businesses and I hope this project will give traders in the area a much needed boost not just this Christmas but in the traditionally quieter period in January and February."

Communities Minister Deirdre Hargey said: "The funding my Department has made available to Councils under the Covid Recovery Revitalisation project aims to help our towns and cities in their recovery from the effects of the pandemic.

The 'Night Lights' lighting installation in Waterloo Street. (Martin McKeown)

"This new, innovative lighting scheme for Waterloo Street in Derry will help to attract people back into the area and in turn will help to support local traders, particularly those involved in the night time economy.

"The continued collaboration between central and local government and local businesses to deliver interventions such as this will facilitate the economic recovery process”.

For more Derry news, visit our new site MyDerry.

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