Club and college help sought in search for new Glengormley play park site

The local authority has decided to write to St Enda’s Gaelic Athletic Club and Edmund Rice College to assist with the search.

The council will be asking if there is any suitable land that could be utilised for a play park in the Hightown area following a meeting of the council’s Glengormley members.

Speaking at a meeting of Antrim and Newtownabbey Borough Council on Monday evening, Airport Alliance Councillor Victoria McAuley noted that there has been a “significant increase” in population in the  surrounding area.

She said that if there is to be a “significant amount of money” spent on a new play park, it must be “in the right area”.

She pointed out that residents in the Hightown area already have access to play facilities at the Lilian Bland Park in Glengormley approximately a mile away.

Development at Lilian Bland has recently been upgraded though an investment of £452,400.

Further investment in the borough’s play parks is currently taking place through the provision of accessible equipment at a cost of £386,000. Read here

Cllr McAuley suggested that a more central site for a new park closer to the Mayfield link road would better serve residents in neighbouring district electoral areas.

Last November, the council agreed to look for suitable sites for play parks at Parkgate and Mallusk.

Cllr McAuley asked for Airport representatives to be included in any further discussion about play park provision in the area.

In response, Sinn Fein Glengormley Cllr Michael Goodman said: “I am disappointed that Cllr McAuley has taken this as an opportunity to set up a conflict between residents of Hightown Road and other residents in her DEA.

“This has been a long-term search for play space in Glengormley Urban.

“I have no problem with Airport councillors being included as part of the recommendation but I think it is the wrong move to try to set this as either Glengormley Urban or Airport.

“As a council, we need a proper play space policy, one that looks at what play space we have across the board  because there are DEAs such as Glengormley Urban which have very little in the way of play park provision and others which have excessive, although possibly justified, levels of play park provision.”

Alliance Cllr Billy Webb stated: “I did not hear any reference to conflict between the two DEAs. I have heard Cllr McAuley propose the recommendation made with the addition that the other DEA be included.”

He said that he “can’t understand where Cllr Goodman is coming from”.

Michelle Weir, Local Democracy Reporter.

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