Regional Development Minister Conor Murphy will again visit the Short Strand next month to meet myself and other representatives from the Short Strand Partnership Board.
The purpose of Conor’s visit, where he will be joined by officials from Roads Service, is for us to make the case for improved traffic access at the soon to be childcare facility at Pottinger’s Quay, ‘Water babies’.
As you may be aware the Partnership has acquired the ground floor space at ‘Pottinger’s Quay’ (at the junction of the Short Strand and Albertbridge Road) to develop an exciting new childcare/crèche facility which will provide much needed services not just for people in the Short Strand and inner east Belfast, but for many people travelling into work in Belfast city centre who can avail of the service.
This exciting project will also provide much needed jobs for people from the locality who have been fully trained in childcare provision. It will also allow for further training opportunities in this industry for young people from the locality.
With the support of a number of partners we hope to see the development open as soon as possible and given the predicted demand for space at the ‘Waterbabies’ crèche it is our view that changes to the current road layout would be necessary to create a safe space for parents to drop off and collect their children.
So positive opportunities lie ahead and much like Conor has been able to assist the community in other ways, we are confident he will do his best for us in relation to this.
Also worth pointing out I have contacted Housing Minister Alex Attwood inviting him to a site visit to the now vacant land at the former Mountpottinger Barracks site. I look forward to welcoming him to the Strand and making the case once again that the community want and need good quality social and family homes.
