Park opening continues despite severity of cuts

Park opening continues despite severity of cuts

1 April 2015

OUTDOOR Recreation NI has pushed ahead with the launch of two new nature parks in Castlewellan and Tollymore, just days after learning its government funding will be slashed.

As the organisation digested news on Monday that £120,000 of its core funding will be cut by the Department of Environment, its staff unveiled the Animal Wood and Big Deer parks in Castlewellan and Tollymore Forest Parks, which have been created as part of a £14m redevelopment programme.

Outdoor Recreation NI is in partnership with Down Council to provide the ambitious redevelopment scheme which will transform the leisure opportunities in the parks.

Plans include updating Castlewellan’s historic arboretum and Annesley Gardens, as well as refurbishing the Grange courtyard. Dilapidated buildings in Tollymore will also be upgraded while the campsite will be extended.

This partnership between Outdoor Recreation NI and Down Council has already seen the development of world-class mountain bike and cycling trails in Castlewellan and Kilbroney forests. Just last month it was revealed that 81,000 visitors used the trails in Castlewellan last year.

The new nature play parks, which are designed for four to 11 year-olds, have been created to complement the organisation’s successful mountain bike trails in Castlewellan and Kilbroney and the redevelopment of the peace maze in Castlewellan. 

Mourne Forests recreation officer, Boyd McClurg, speaking at Monday’s opening, explained nature play was about creating interactive play in natural spaces to allow children to engage with the outdoors and experience the benefits of connecting with the natural environment.

Animal Wood incorporates a short path with wild woodland animals including a badger and its den, a red squirrel and a giant spider.  

It also boasts a wooden play structure with a tower in the image of The Moorish Tower where children can enjoy the climbing wall, fireman’s pole and rope-bridge over to a hollow tree slide and Red Kite nest.  

In Tollymore, Big Deer park includes a giant timber fallow deer, castle turret, folly tower and hollow tree all connected through a series of rope-bridges, tunnels, spider webs, basket swings and slides.

Both these new play facilities were funded through the NGO Challenge Fund of the Forest Service Northern Ireland, administered by NI Environment Link and Down Council.

Down Council chairman, Billy Walker, said he was delighted to unveil the parks. 

“We believe that County Down boasts some of the finest forest landscapes in the country and we look forward to continuing the development of recreational facilities to enable visitors of all ages and abilities to enjoy our natural environment for years to come,” he said.

Chief Executive of Forest Service Northern Ireland, Mr. Malcolm Beatty, said the developments were another great example of how a shared vision and effective partnerships between Forest Service Northern Ireland, Down Council and Outdoor Recreation NI was continuing to breed a wealth of recreation facilities across Northern Ireland.

More information can be found on www.OutdoorNI.com/LocalOutdoors.