Publish date: 25 May 2023
Chair of Donegal Local Community Development Committee (LCDC), Cllr. Niamh Kennedy has launched the Civic Dollars project - a community reward platform designed to increase time spent in outdoor, local recreational spaces across Donegal.
Image: Swan Park, Buncrana © Donegal County Council
Through this community currency app, Donegal County Council aims to provide people with an incentive and support to improve their mental health, increase their physical activity levels, and encourage engagement with local community groups and support for the local business community.
Participants download the Civic Dollars App and earn online credits by spending time in one of the following five local outdoor resources that have been identified countywide:
- Bundoran Promenade and Cliff Walk
- Dungloe River Walk
- Swan Park, Buncrana
- Bernard McGlinchey Town Park, Letterkenny
- Drumboe Woods, Stranorlar
You can then redeem your ‘Civic Dollars’ in exchange for local and countywide rewards provided by the local business community e.g., a discounted coffee or discounted entry into a local attraction OR donate them to a locally identified community group who can exchange them for rewards.
Businesses offering rewards include Bundoran Surf Co, Grass Routes E-Bikes, McElhinneys Store Ballybofey, Brian Pennie Consulting, Mobility Genie, Michael Murphy Sports, Bluestack Shack Café, Fort Dunree Military Museum, Core Tech NI, Cubefun, Butterrock Café, The Hatter Tea Room, The Hatter Express and many more!
Community groups can donate their 'Civic Dollars' to - Bluestack Special Needs Foundation; Forogie Donegal; Bundoran Community Development CLG; Donegal Playmatters CLG; Dungloe Active Retirement, CDP Na Rossan CTR, Buncrana Youth & Community Development Co Ltd, The Exchange; ICARE, LYFS, Cara House, Donegal Youth Service, Finn Valley FRC, Planet Youth Ballybofey and Cloghan Day Centre.
The app measures time spent in a designated zone and does not record steps or distance to ensure the project is inclusive of participants with mobility or health issues.
For further information about the project see:
Civic Dollars - Improving your health has never been more rewarding
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