Strangford Playing Fields in South Belfast is to receive new gates and pathways, with a focus on allowing all-ability access for local schools.
At this week's meeting of the Belfast City Council People and Communities Committee, Sinn Féin Councillor Geraldine McAteer said that council officers had sent confirmation to all elected representatives in Balmoral that money had been made available for the forthcoming works.
Councillor McAteer had proposed a feasibility study report on access paths to the Strangford Playing Fields from Glenveagh Special School, and for a new purpose-built path within the park for the school and the wider community.
Read more: Alliance and nationalist parties clash over Irish street signs for West Belfast Gaeltacht
Strangford Avenue Playing Fields, located off Malone Hill Park, between Malone road and Balmoral Avenue, is situated across the road from Glenveagh Special Education school, which shares a campus with three other special education needs schools: Harberton Special School, Fleming Fulton and Oakwood School.
There will be information sessions on the plan for locals at the Strangford Playing Fields Changing Rooms and online on Friday March 10.
The council report states: “Outdoor space at the school campus is extremely constrained particularly given the large number of attendees at the schools and the special needs.
“Strangford Playing Fields is the closest alternative site for outdoor recreation. Glenveagh School is the closest in proximity to the park, with the Drummond Park entrance directly opposite their school gate.
“However, the schools have indicated that they currently cannot use the park to its full potential due to accessibility limitations around the pedestrian entrance and due to the absence of a suitable accessible bit-mac pathway for their pupils who have physical disabilities and who are wheelchair users.
“The playing fields are also widely used by local residents, however the lack of a pathway around the playing fields also constrains their access, limiting the full potential of the playing fields as a key local asset.”
Councillor McAteer praised the project, and the council team responsible. She told the council committee on Tuesday: “I am relieved and delighted. After a number of years working with Glenveagh School, and the other three disability schools in and around Strangford Playing Fields, we are finally going to have full disability accessibility.
“For a long long time Strangford Playing Fields was mired in mud, there was a rickety little gate at Drummond Park which certainly couldn’t get wheelchairs or bicycles through. And now we are going to have paths where these children will walk, run if they can, and use their adapted bicycles.
“Other residents and parents with children wanted to push their prams around these playing fields, and now that is also possible. The kids are really now going to have a lot of space to get around, good health, fresh air and wellbeing.”
READ NEXT:
Belfast Council votes against new student block after locals appeal
Sandy Row apartment block plan delayed after wave of local objections
Belfast Council agrees £25,000 spend for King's Coronation celebrations
Major Ballymurphy social housing development gets green light
Belfast St Patrick's Day "turning into St Patrick's Week", Councillor says
For all the latest news, visit the Belfast Live homepage here. To sign up to our FREE newsletters, see here.
