Ceremonies to open modern play parks in villages

Ceremonies to open modern play parks in villages

17 December 2014

TWO new play parks have been officially opened in Clough and Ballykinlar.

The ceremonies were held last Saturday morning and attended by representatives from community groups in both villages and local politicians, including South Down MP Margaret Ritchie.

Both the Clough and District and Ballykinlar and Tyrella community groups played key roles in helping deliver the ultra-modern facilities which were financed by the Down Rural Area Partnership (DRAP) and Down Council.

Joining Miss Ritchie at both ceremonies was Down Council chairman William Walker and Mr. David Kerr, vice-chairman of the Down Rural Area Partnership.

Mr. William McCall, chairman of the Clough community group, said the village has witnessed “great improvements” over recent years.

“We are now proud to open a community play park which will provide a great recreational facility for children and families in the village,” he said.

“This project was really needed here and we are delighted to be opening it. We are very grateful to all those who made the project happen.”

Miss Ritchie said she hopes the new play park in Clough, which is adjacent to Cumran Primary School, will be used by current and future generations.

“I hope children will enjoy many days of enjoyment and fun from the new equipment that has been provided and credit to the Clough Community Association for spearheading the drive for this new facility,” she continued.

Turning to the new facility in Ballykinlar located close to a pre-school group’s base at the rear of Marian Park, Miss Ritchie highlighted the efforts of the local community association under its chairman Niall Addis to provide new facilities in the village.

“I hope the opening of the new playground will begin a series of developments for Ballykinlar which will include the regeneration of the former Kindle Primary School as a community facility, as well as the provision of an all-island emergency training facility with job creation potential at the Ballykinlar camp base,” said the MP.

“Such further developments require the immediate and ongoing financial support of central and local governments which I hope will be forthcoming as part of a rural regeneration exercise.”

The South Down MP described the funding partnership between DRAP and Down Council to deliver both new playgrounds in Clough and Ballykinlar as a “necessary prerequisite for the development of rural community, regeneration and job creation projects.”