Pilots' Row future up in the air

In case you missed it the first time around - October:

The future of Pilots’ Row community centre in Derry’s Bogside is currently under discussion.

The centre, which opened in 1980, is managed by the Education Authority (EA), which owns the site jointly with Derry City and Strabane District Council.   Council provides funding for Pilots’ Row through a service level agreement.  

Derry Now understands the EA has recently expressed concern regarding the physical makeup of the centre due to safeguarding. 

The EA has subsequently undertaken building work to clearly delineate Pilots’ Row into two discrete areas, one for youth provision, which it will continue to provide, and a completely separate space for community provision. 

All of the staff in Pilots’ Row are employed by the EA, which is currently engaging with staff and trade unions on the issue of future employment. 

If Derry City and Strabane District Council wished to continue to use Pilots’ Row for community services, it could go a similar route to that of its other community centres, which are known as ‘council owned and community managed’ and engage a local community group to manage it’s ‘half’ of Pilots’ Row.

Pilots’ Row also encompasses a café and has been used as a base for the Eden Place Arts’ Centre since 1993. To date, there has been no clarity provided around the future of the popular arts’ centre. 

In June 2021, Derry News reported that there had been calls for renovations to be carried out on the building, but no extensive work had been carried out. 

At that time, the paper also reported: “A feasibility study was also commissioned by Derry City and Strabane District Council in 2018 into the future of the Pilot's Row centre:

“Although complete, the findings of the study have still to be made public.

“When contacted by Derry News, an EA spokesperson said: ‘EA currently do not have plans to close the centre or sell the site off, as it is an area of identified need for youth provision to support children and young people.

“‘The Authority plans to continue to fund the delivery of youth services in Pilot’s Row Youth and Community Centre.’”

The feasibility study was commissioned by the joint management committee, a subcommittee of Derry City and Strabane District Council, which included representatives from EA, the council and local councillors.

A consultant was appointed through a tendering process by Derry City and Strabane District Council to undertake the study, which has never been made available to the public, although this paper believes aspects of it have been shared with Pilots’ Row Staff.

Derry News sought comments from both Derry City and Strabane District Council and the Education Authority about the future of Pilots’ Row. However, at the time of going to press none had been received.