In North Belfast, the intersection of the Woodvale Road and the Crumlin Road at Ardoyne is known as ‘the Ardoyne shops’.  Every year for the last 30 years this intersection has been the focal point for major rioting at the time of the ‘twelfth’ marches.  Each year coming up to the ‘twelfth’ there are major discussions between Police, Parades’ Commission, Orange Order and local residents to negotiate a resolution, so far without success.

The Flax Trust proposes to build at this intersection the George Mitchell Centre for reconciliation, personal development and community care.  The outreach of this centre will be year round and into both communities, developing leadership, dialogue and positive cross-community activity. The project will house an ‘all kids crèche’ which will bring together preschool children from both communities as well as their parents who will engage in personal development programmes, anger management, home economics, mutual understanding, inter-cultural appreciation with a view to developing an inter-cultural programme which will be mutually enriching.

The centre will have an auditorium and catering facility as well as administrative offices and workshops.  A significant part of the exercise will be the Ardoyne/Shankill Health Living Partnership which focuses on inter-community concerns for health improvement in both Ardoyne and the Shankill.  The centre will have a main entrance on the Woodvale Road and a main entrance on the Crumlin road to facilitate both communities.

It is hoped that when the new centre is completed that Senator George Mitchell will return to Belfast and the scene of his Good Friday Agreement to open the new centre.