22 June 2000

NORTH BELFAST SCHOOLCHILDREN'S ECOCITY IS A 'MODEL' FOR FUTURE SAYS SAM FOSTER

Catholic and Protestant pupils from St Vincent de Paul's Ligoniel and Ballysillan primary schools have been working all week at the Waterfront Hall to build an 'EcoCity' model of their local neighbourhoods.

The EcoCity is a project whereby school kids build their ideal ecological friendly settlement. It is being run as part of the Royal Town Planning Institute's millennium conference.

In awarding the kids with certificates to recognise their sterling work Environment Minister Sam Foster said: "I am very impressed by this large model of how you would like Ligoniel and Ballysillan to look. I know EcoCities have been created before but never on this scale. You have created something very special, very spectacular and you should be very proud. I know your teachers are.

"Your generation is more focussed than any other generation on the rights and wrongs of the area in which you live. I am pleased that you show much interest in the environment. After all, if we treat the environment with respect everyone benefits. If we abuse it, everyone suffers."

NOTES TO EDITORS:

1. Forty-one primary seven schoolchildren from St Vincent de Paul's Ligoniel and Ballysillan primary schools have worked all week on 'EcoCity'. This is an extremely large and attractive model of how kids would like Ligoniel and Ballysillan to look.
2. Minister for the Environment Sam Foster will hand over certificates to the pupils at 5.30pm on Thursday June 22. The completed model will be on display at that time.
3. For further information please contact Philip Maguire DOE Press Office Tel 028 9054 0013.