It was with much anticipation and not a little enthusiasm that Christopher (Sherrard) and I made our way to St Peter's Hall recently to view the plans for the resurrection of one of the city's (sadly) most neglected pieces of built heritage - Boomhall.
We were delighted to learn that a landscape restoration masterplan is in the offing for the site, which is designated an historic park, garden and demesne, which includes the derelict remains not only of Boomhall, but a stables yard, walled garden and gorgeous parklands with mature trees.
The actual house itself is described as a 'late 18th Century villa' and it has features which date right back to the famous Siege of Derry in 1689, including the Boom Stone, King James's Well and a considerable amount of archaeological material from that era.
The development will see the creation of an enhanced walkway experience for those who love the great outdoors, with the site being linked not only to Bay Road Nature Reserve, but also to Culmore Road along Boomhall Lane.
I really do hope that Boomhall rises like a phoenix from the ashes of time.