By Julie Waters
PLANS for a £170,000 refurbishment of the ‘not fit for purpose’ Bowtown play park have been given the green light following delays over another Newtownards scheme.
Plans for the redevelopment of the Glenford play park as part of a proposed park and ride scheme in William Street have been delayed meaning the Bowtown play park will now go forward.
At a recent meeting of Ards and North Down Council, Environmental Services Director, Graeme Bannister, said while Translink will develop the William Street site, the council still hasn’t been paid for the land and discussions are ongoing about the ‘footprint and red line boundary’ of the new play park.
Given the funding of the new Glenford play park was expected to come from the sale of the former leisure centre site, Mr Bannister could not confirm when the work could begin given the ongoing negotiations.
As a result of the delay, alderman Stephen McIlveen proposed that Bowtown play park at Abbot Gardens replace Glenford play park, as it was the next play park on the council’s
refurbishment list for the 2026/27 financial year. A majority of councillors backed the DUP group leader’s proposal and agreed that once the land issue is resolved on the William Street site, a further report will be brought back to address the timing and funding of the new Glenford play park.
SDLP councillor Joe Boyle was the only councillor to vote against the proposal, voicing concerns about elected members ‘cherry picking’ projects when he said a council strategy had already been agreed.
Mr Boyle said alderman Robert Adair had brought a similar amendment, calling for Bowtown play park to be refurbished instead of Glenford play park, to a previous meeting of the environment committee, and this had been rejected.
He said he was ‘disappointed’ this course of action was being ‘thrown out’ and urged councillors to ‘stay on course’ saying: “I hope cherry picking doesn’t start again. I can’t support this as I support the process.”
Alderman Adair said he was ‘disappointed’ by some of councillor Boyle’s comments, saying he had brought the proposal on Mr McIlveen’s behalf, as his party colleague did not sit on the Environment Committee.
Mr Adair said councillors ‘were entitled to make amendments on party colleague’s behalf ’ and he hoped they could move forward and ‘do what is best for the community’.
Deputy Mayor Vicky Moore said the Alliance Party was ‘content’ to support Mr McIlveen’s amendment. She acknowledged there had been an independent assessment of the borough’s play park provision but elected members were able to use ‘local knowledge’ and ‘make the most of the funding available to us’.
Ulster Unionist councillor Richard Smart said there was ‘absolutely no doubt the Bowtown play park is not fit for purpose’ and praised the Bowtown Community Development Group for highlighting the issue.
The Newtownards councillor said there was ‘very little accessible equipment’ in the play park and the standard was ‘below what we want for our young people’.
Mr Smart said the Bowtown play park was the only park in this area and called on the council to ‘make the park the best it can be as it is the only show in town’.
Green Party councillor Lauren Kendall said there was ‘no doubt’ that councillors and ‘communities all feel very strongly about play parks and play park provision and will strongly advocate for it’.
The Clandeboye and Holywood councillor said it was important they relied on the independent inspectors report to ’avoid us having a scrap over play parks’ provision in the borough.
However, Ms Kendall said she was ‘shocked’ that issues such as ‘topography, distance and accessibility’ were not part of the play park assessment. She asked ‘what’s the point’ of ‘having the best play equipment in the world’ if the ‘park is not accessible’.
