Three new playgrounds are priority for council

Three new playgrounds are priority for council

25 January 2017

THE development of three £100,000 play parks in Kilmore, Darragh Cross and Kilclief has been prioritised as part of Newry Mourne and Down Council’s new play strategy.

The three local parks, which would cater for over 300 households, should be created within the next five years after being included on a capital programme of six projects listed as part of the new strategy.

The £300,000 investment is a key part of the five year plan, which was presented to the council’s Active and Healthy Communities Committee on Monday evening, designed to overhaul play facilities across the district.

The strategy, which is expected to be endorsed at the next full council meeting, recommends immediate consultation on the creation of the three parks due to the current underdevelopment of facilities for children in those areas.

The strategy also highlights the need to upgrade 23 play parks across the council area, beginning with the park at Bridge Centre in Killyleagh this year, followed by parks at Lislane in Saintfield, Killough Playing Fields, Drumaness, Westlands, in Crossgar, and Newcastle Centre over the next five years.

The report specifically recommends that the park at Newcastle Centre be upgraded because of its use by both locals and tourists.

The strategy also suggests the merger of several play parks, subject to community consultation, highlighting the potential for a single park to replace facilities at Bridge Street, Ardmore Avenue and Marian Park in Downpatrick by 2018. Research shows that these three parks currently cater for over 600 households with the majority at Ardmore Avenue.

The consolidation of Hillfoot toddler and junior parks in Ballynahinch and existing parks at Model Farm and St Dympna’s in Downpatrick is also suggested over the course of the plan.

The possible removal of parks at Drumaroad and Station Avenue, Castlewellan, in the Slieve Croob area, again subject to consultation, has also been proposed for consideration due to the limited play value of the existing facilities and anticipated low need.

The park at Station Avenue in Castlewellan is rated the poorest equipped park in the area.

Welcoming the publication of the strategic document at Monday evening’s meeting, Castlewellan councillor Stephen Burns said Station Avenue once catered for an area “full of youngsters” but now served an older population.

He said the fact that it is was located beside a home for the elderly meant it might best be considered as a site for a community garden or as an allotment.

“We need to consult with the community on how best to use that land and that will be done through the District Electoral Area Forum,” he said.

“Local need will then be refined before being brought back to the council for ratification.”

Fellow Slieve Croob councillor Andrew McMurray welcomed the “Trojan” work that had gone into the development of the play strategy.