Canadian Ambassador opens Waterford Area Partnership's new offices

Nancy Smyth, Canadian Ambassador to Ireland, officially opened Waterford Area Partnership’s (WAP) new Head Office on Canada Street last week.

The catalyst for the invitation of Her Excellency to open the new offices at Neptune House, was the Tides and Tales Maritime Community Project, a blog by local Andrew Doherty, which documents the origin of the naming of Canada Street in Waterford City, a site where many Irish people left to make a new life in Newfoundland.

Andrew Doherty explains via the blog, that “although many will associate the famine as a time of mass emigration from Ireland, the fact is tens of thousands were fleeing the country for many years prior to the catastrophic events of the 1840s. Canada Street owes its name to this era.” 

The opening event was addressed by Cllr Joe Conway, Mayor of Waterford City & County, who welcomed the Ambassador to Waterford and spoke of the “dedication of the WAP Board and Staff to the communities and people of Waterford with needs-based work, which focuses on inclusivity, access, participation, equality and human rights”.

Jim Finn, Vice Chairperson of Waterford Area Partnership’s voluntary Board of Management followed the Mayor’s comments with a deeper dive into some of the recent work that the local development company has undertaken.

Mr. Finn said that 3,127 People have been supported to improve their quality of life through training, employment, work placement, education or well-being opportunities through Waterford Area Partnership.

Additionally, 83 local community groups have been supported to improve their capacity and services, and 7,548 food parcels have been delivered, providing meals for over 30,000 individuals in the city. 

400 Ukrainian refugees and International Protection Applicants attended Fáilte Isteach volunteer-led English language classes through WAP.

Mr. Finn also thanked the outgoing CEO of Waterford Council, Michael Walsh, for his outstanding support for WAP during a difficult period for the company and staff post Covid.

Nancy Smyth officially opened the new office with a plaque dedicated to her visit and spoke of the close ties between Ireland and Canada.

Her interest in climate justice was also discussed, which led to her contact with the Think Tank for Social Change (TASC), which has been partnering WAP and the Larchville & Lisduggan Resident’s Association on a People’s Transition Project.

Prior to Nancy Smyth’s opening of the WAP offices she accompanied WAP staff to the Manor St John Community Centre in Lisduggan to hear about their community engagement process to gather community needs, priorities and strengths.

She also visited St. Francis Court, where community volunteers have been engaged in a community clean up and planting scheme to support the wellbeing and sense of safety of older community residents.

From there she was taken to the Knights Templar Graveyard, a heritage and conservation project led by members of the community. 

Waterford Area Partnership’s CEO Liam Quinn summed up the morning spent with the Ambassador in both Larchville and Lisduggan, and Canada Street by expressing “the huge benefits that people and communities garner by focusing on the things that unite us locally, nationally and internationally and that enrich all of us and our planet.”