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Clonavon Avenue, CRAIGAVON, BT62 3AD

This centre is being constructed in 2008/2009 beside the present Health Centre which is accessed from Tavanagh Avenue. The new centre will be accessed from Meadow Lane nearby.

Built in 1905, at the time when Portadown was growing fast and the local Friends (Quakers), who had previously worshipped at Lurgan and Moyallon, decided to build their own Meeting House.

Was expected to be completed by now but it will be a few months yet. See Image

The design of this new building is certainly worthy of note, having won the award for 'Best Future Design Concept' at the Rewarding Excellence in Healthcare Design Awards in 2006. The design team led by Kennedy Fitzgerald & Associates and Avanti Architects produced the plans for a three-storey building designed around a central atrium. The 8750m2 building could be described as a triangular doughnut with the accommodation laid out in three gently curved blocks connected at each end to form an equilateral triangle. See Image

The Northern Ireland Fire Authority was formed in 1950 from an amalgamation of The Northern fire authority with its headquarters in Ballymena, the Western fire authority with its headquarters in Londonderry and the Southern fire authority with its headquarters in Portadown. These authorities had been formed in 1947 after the N.F.S. (N.I) had been stood down. Fire Force Commander of the newly formed Northern Ireland Fire Authority was George Murphy who was, until 1950, the Fire Services Inspector for the Ministry of Home Affairs. When George Murphy retired in 1972, the Authority appointed George Morrison as Fire Force Commander. He held this office until the Northern Ireland Fire Authority amalgamated with the Belfast Fire Brigade in 1973. The newly formed brigade, now entitled, "Fire Authority for Northern Ireland" appointed George Morrison as The Chief Fire Officer. The Northern Ireland Fire and Rescue Service Board (FRSB) replaced the FIRE Authority for Northern Ireland (FANI) on 1st July 2006. The Board is responsible for Fire and Rescue Services in Northern Ireland. Its statutory duties are the promotion of fire safety, fire fighting, rescuing people trapped in road traffic accidents, protecting and rescuing people from other hazards, acting as the enforcement authority for new safety requirements and emergency planning

Entrance from Clonavon Avenue. See Image

Portadown Town Hall, built in 1890, was once the seat of local government until the building of the Craigavon Civic Centre. It is still used for performances and exhibitions-and since 1923, for the annual Festival of Music and Drama.

This hall adjoined the church and also Thomas Primary School. Later the school was no longer needed and new spacious halls were built, using some of these former buildings.

http://www.nifrs.org/locations.php?sec=2690

The £16.5million Health and Care Centre was unveiled by Health Minister, Michael McGimpsey, on 22nd March 2010. It will open for business on Monday 29 March 2010 and will provide all services available at the existing health centre including the eight GP practices but with additional services including x-ray, orthopaedics, dental and rehabilitation services. The design of this new building is certainly worthy of note, having won the award for 'Best Future Design Concept' at the Rewarding Excellence in Healthcare Design Awards in 2006. A number of healthcare professionals will be brought together under one roof to deliver co-ordinated care to meet the needs of the local community. The design team led by Kennedy Fitzgerald & Associates and Avanti Architects produced the plans for a three-storey building designed around a central atrium. The 8750m2 building could be described as a triangular doughnut with the accommodation laid out in three gently curved blocks connected at each end to form an equilateral triangle.