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Finance Minister, Conor Murphy was in Newry today to officially confirm funding of £16.2 million for the Albert Basin Park project which will see the long awaited city park created in Newry. The Department for Communities will be playing a leading role in support of the dellivery of the project.
The funding will come from the first tranche of allocations from the Executive’s City/Growth Deals Complementary Fund. These allocations were agreed as part of the Executive’s draft Budget 2022-25.
Visiting the site of the future 15 acre city park at Albert Basin in Newry, Minister Murphy said: “The investment of over £16million in this urban parkland will provide an active community space for the people of Newry and surrounding areas. Not only will it support the ongoing regeneration of Newry City centre enhancing what Newry has to offer, the Albert Basin Park will provide a carbon collection zone in the City, bringing health and wellbeing benefits through greater activity and improved air quality.
“This project will provide a significant capital injection in the area while developing our local environment to provide much needed green space for citizens.”
Deidre Hargey, Communities Minister, also welcomed the new project: “This is really exciting news for the citizens of Newry. This investment in an urban park will complement the £43 million City Deal project to regenerate Newry City Centre and will help to make Newry an even more vibrant and attractive city for people to live, work and invest. My Department will continue to play a leading role, working closely with the Council and stakeholders, to support the delivery of these projects and the wider regeneration of the City.”
Newry, Mourne and Down District Council Chairperson, Councillor Cathy Mason says the new park will be a welcome attraction for visitors and residents alike, offering an accessible and sustainable sanctuary in the centre of the city. Councillor Mason commented: “The provision of a world-class city park at Albert Basin is central to our vision for the regeneration of Newry City Centre. As well providing a destination leisure space for the residents of Newry and beyond, the park will play its part in attracting investment, promoting tourism, creating jobs and sustaining our environment.”
Exciting Time
Fellow Newry and Armagh MLA Justin McNulty has also welcomed the move. McNulty said "I’m delighted that the Council’s bid for £16m to fund the delivery of a 15-acre park at the Albert Basin has been successful. The Park is a top priority, both for the people of Newry and the SDLP, so this funding is a welcome boost for the project. Newry is the only city in Ireland without a city park, a fact which has inspired passion, action and determination from local people. Council recognised an opportunity to draw down on support from the complementary fund and they took it – it’s important now that the development of the Albert Basin Park is progressed at pace.
"This is an exciting time for Newry – from the development of the Park, to the regeneration of our City Centre, to the delivery of key infrastructure projects like Narrow Water Bridge and the Southern Relief Road, as well as the push to reopen and redevelop the Canal from Carlingford Lough to Lough Neagh – Newry is a city very definitely in its stride. We need to maximise our area’s potential and realise our ambitions, so it’s important that we have unity of purpose and a collective focus from all local community, business, civic, and political organisations in achieving that.
"There are big opportunities within Newry’s grasp - the SDLP will be working at all levels, with all stakeholders, to ensure that every one of those opportunities is seized."
