CHILDREN and young families in Kilclief will soon be able to enjoy new play facilities.
Construction work on a new play park is due to begin in the spring thanks to funding from Mourne, Gullion and Lecale Rural Development Partnership.
The play park will be on a site adjacent to Kilclief GAC and will provide a range of play equipment offering an attractive, welcoming, and challenging area for children and young people of all abilities.
Money for the scheme will come from a £150,000 funding package from the Village Renewal Scheme of the Department of Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs’ Northern Ireland Rural Development Programme (NIRDP) 2014-2020, to Newry, Mourne and Down Council for the development of play parks.
Also part of the package is a redevelopment scheme of a play park in Hilltown.
Councillor Roisin Mulgrew, Mourne, Gullion and Lecale Rural Development Partnership chairwoman, welcomed the funding news.
She said: “The need for the two play parks was established through extensive consultation with both local communities and will enable the children and young people in these areas to have equal opportunities to play and positively impact on their health and wellbeing.
“The regeneration works to both villages will improve the quality of life for rural dwellers and their surrounding areas.”
The funding was also welcomed by council vice-chairman Terry Andrews.
He said: “The provision of these additional play facilities within the council area is affirming the recommendations from both the council’s play strategy and village plans.
“This makes our district an area in which local communities have access to opportunities and high-quality services whilst working in partnership with MGLRDP, DAERA and the European Agricultural Fund for Rural Development.”
Jerome Burns, DAERA Contract Manager, said: “The Leader Programme, through which these projects will be funded, enables local people to determine the needs of their own area and decide how to address them and this is an excellent example of how the programme is delivering on the ground.
“I am sure both these play parks will be valued and well utilised by their local rural communities.”