Children help design new play park in Kilclief

Children help design new play park in Kilclief

2 September 2020

A NEW play park has opened in Kilclief, thanks to funding from the Mourne, Gullion and Lecale Rural Development Partnership.

It made a total of £150,000 available for the local play park and also one in Hilltown as part of the village renewal scheme spearheaded by the Department of Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs Northern Ireland Rural Development Programme.

Consultation with residents in Kilclief identified the need for new play provision and along with local children they helped with the design of the new facility, with its features dedicated to having a positive impact on their overall health and wellbeing.   

The new play park, which is the first to be provided in Kilclief, is located on land adjacent to the village’s gaelic club and can be used by children and young people of all abilities.

Newry, Mourne and Down Council chairwoman Laura Devlin said both projects were an excellent example of collaborative working between the various funding bodies, local council and residents to deliver vital services to rural communities.

Cllr Roisin Mulgrew, the chairwoman of the Mourne, Gullion and Lecale Partnership, described the new play parks as “fantastic additions” to the communities in Kilclief and Hilltown and their wider localities. 

“It is wonderful to see the design visions of the children and young people become reality, along with the pride and ownership they are taking in the new facilities,” she said.

Cllr Mulgrew added: “Projects such as these are the epitome of rural development, empowering our communities to make decisions which will positively impact their lives”.