Cushendall Innovation Centre - leaving the past behind and embracing the future
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Cushendall Innovation Centre, nestled in the beautiful village of Cushendall has turbulent past.
The building started life as a police station. Having survived two bombings and borne witness to numerous other serious incidents during the Troubles, it was abandoned by the police in 2016.
Wanting to prevent this landmark building falling into disrepair and ensuring it wasn’t lost to the community, Grow the Glens set out to acquire the building.
With the support of the Community Ownership Fund, Grow the Glens CIC are now working to transform the building into a creative hub, with state-of-the-art facilities - a beacon of hope for the whole community.
Making a difference to the community
The Centre will initially provide 35 fully accessible workspaces, with another 20 to be added in phase two alongside community and meeting rooms.
This facility will help reenergise the local economy in the Glens, helping to provide existing and potential workers with remote workspace, as well as bringing new customers to existing local businesses.
As things stand, many local people have to commute 20 - 50 miles each way for work. It is hoped that this facility will enable many of these people to work closer to home – which would have huge local economic, social and environmental benefits.
Having kept the community engaged through open-days, events and surveys the Innovation Centre project benefits from huge Community support. One event attendee summed up what the project means to the area: “This facility is a beacon of hope and represents how our community can leave behind the past and embrace the future.”
Funding the project
The Community Ownership fund was the first major funder to support the project – awarding £300k 250k in capital and £50K in revenue funding.
The revenue funding was key to getting the project off the ground, enabling Grow the Glens to hire an architect and project manager at an early stage.
Gaining this funding also acted as a catalyst for further funding in the form of £300K from Department for Communities and £50K from the Council.
On top of working with major funders, Grow the Glens are keen to keep the community involved through local fundraising, targeting local individuals and businesses as well as the diaspora.
Looking forward, they are now focusing on securing the revenue funding necessary to sustain and grow the facility in line with the needs of the local community.
Getting the right support
This project has shown the importance of getting the right experience and expertise in your team. Grow the Glens have benefitted from a well connected, committed team to drive the project forward. This included members with experience in business, construction, funding programs and more.
Advice to other groups
Grow the Glen’s main advice is “Communicate, Communicate, Communicate”.
- Identify key community partners and stakeholders and nurture these relationships. This includes politicians, the local authority, local businesses and more. Be persistent!
- Seek advice, support and key dos and don’ts from groups who have already gone through the process.
- Carry out regular consultations, surveys etc to ensure that your project remains aligned with your community's wants and needs.
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