New Belmayne hub aims to bring community together

A new community hub officially opened its doors in Belmayne last week, bringing expanded childcare, youth services and local supports to one of Dublin’s fastest-growing areas.

Minister for Education and Youth Hildegarde Naughton attended the official opening of YMCA Dublin’s new facility on Belmayne Main Street last Thursday (14th), alongside local residents, community groups and project partners.

The new hub will serve families and young people across Belmayne, Clongriffin and Donaghmede, providing school-age childcare, youth services and space for wider community activities.

The development was delivered through a partnership between YMCA Dublin and Clúid, with both organisations saying the project is designed to ensure local services grow alongside new housing developments.

Speaking at the opening, YMCA Dublin CEO Kathryn O’Mahony said the new hub is about creating a welcoming place at the heart of the community.

“This hub reflects what YMCA Dublin believes growing communities need in practice: accessible local services that grow alongside housing and respond to the needs of the wider community,” she said.

“It is about more than opening a space. It is about creating a welcoming local place where people can connect, participate and access support within their own community.”

Clúid CEO Averil Power praised the role local residents and community organisations played in helping shape the project.

“Strong communities are built through planning, partnership and sustained investment,” she said.

“This hub builds on the fantastic work by local partners such as the Belmayne Clongriffin Network and the Belmayne Community Group, reflecting what can be achieved when residents and organisations shape services together.

“The partnership with YMCA Dublin is a powerful example of that collaboration in action as we create a space together that people can use, value and feel part of.”

The launch event was attended by local representatives, residents and community organisations, before the doors were opened to the wider public during a community afternoon event.

The new facility also expands YMCA Dublin’s existing presence in the Parkside area, with organisers hoping the hub will become a focal point for local families and young people in the years ahead.