Building on the success of the Civic Dollars Project launched in May this year, Donegal County Council has added an extra 60 new ‘Earn Zones’ across the County. The new zones include the playgrounds listed in the Playground Passport Initiative (see here EZxploring-Donegal-Playground-Passport.pdf (donegalcoco.ie)), along with beaches, parks, trails and forest walks throughout the County. The project timeline has also been extended until the end of January 2024 and the maximum amount of Civic Dollars earned per day has increased from 3 to 5.
Download the Civic Dollars App – locate your nearest ‘Earn zone’ on the map and hit ‘Go’! After 30 minutes you’ll have earned a ‘Civic Dollar’ that can be redeemed in rewards in local businesses or can be donated to participating Community Groups all of which are detailed on the app.
Improving your health has never been more rewarding!
See below for a list of the current ‘Earn Zones’
For more information see www.civicdollars.com or scan the QR Code below
Earning Civic Dollars is a Walk in the Park! - May 2023
Cllr. Niamh Kennedy, Chair of Donegal LCDC pictured launching the Civic Dollars Project with Cllr. Tom Conaghan; Cllr. Noel Jordan; Liam Ward, Director of Community Development and Planning Services; Stephen McPeake, CEO Civic Dollars; Wendy McCarry, trustees and members of Bluestack Special Needs Foundation; members of Donegal LCDC, representatives from participating Community Groups, Donegal Sports Partnership and Donegal County Council staff.
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.
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
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 you can donate your 'Civic Dollars' to are - 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.
At the launch held in the Bluestack Special Needs Foundation centre, Director Community Development and Planning Services, Mr. Liam Ward said ‘Donegal County Council recognises the importance of outdoor recreation in improving the health and well-being of the people of Donegal and in building stronger, more cohesive, and inclusive communities across our County. We work in partnership through our Local Community Development Committee to deliver projects funded under the Healthy Ireland Round 4 programme and Slaintecare Healthy Communities Programmes which help provide a roadmap of how we can continue to work together to promote health and wellbeing for everyone’.
Outlining the value of the project to the local community, Chair of the LCDC, Cllr. Niamh Kennedy paid tribute to the local businesses participating in the projects by way of offering a reward and said how ‘Their efforts cannot be underestimated especially in this current climate – we’re very grateful for their participation which demonstrates an important and valuable contribution to the communities they live in and highlights the strong sense of community spirit we have here in Co. Donegal’.
Manager of the Bluestack Special Needs Foundation, Ms. Wendy McCarry said ‘Bluestack Special Needs Foundation is delighted to be participating in the project as one of the community groups that participants can donate their ‘Civic Dollars’ to, it shines a light on the work we do and increases community support for and engagement with our members. What I love about this project is that it is so inclusive, that anyone can take part no matter what their physical ability is’.
For further information about the project see
Civic Dollars - Improving your health has never been more rewarding
and follow, like and tag #HealthyDonegal #CivicDollars on
https://www.facebook.com/HealthyDonegal
