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Newry City Councillor Aidan Mathers, who sits on the Newry Park Stakeholder Group, has welcomed yesterday's Council decision to pass the planning application for the proposed Newry City park, calling it a significant step towards delivery.
Speaking after planning approval was granted Cllr Mathers said the park would transform the city centre. "Our park will be a game-changer for Newry; a green lung in our city centre and a place of recreation for families, communities and workers. It will be a facility that people will come to visit, increasing footfall in our city centre."
Cllr Mathers said the campaign to secure the park had been long running and widely supported, with considerable work required to reach this stage. "The campaign to secure a city centre park for Newry has been long running and widely supported. It has taken a lot of effort to get to this point, with the historic site being made ready for the park, funding secured, a design team appointed and with construction contractors lined up. I'd like to thank all those who campaigned for this park and supported it's development."
He explained the project had been funded through a combination of Executive and Council investment. "Our team has worked at every level to deliver this project. Conor Murphy's investment of £16.2 million in 2021 has been added to with a direct contribution from the council of £2.4 million, totalling an £18.6 million flagship project that has the potential to help transform our city centre."
Cllr Mathers said the park formed part of wider investment in the city. "This is on top of massive investment in our new theatre and arts complex, our greenway, new civic centre, improvements to rail, bus and road connectivity, investment in our water network, the development of sports facilities, improvements to local roads and several other developments across Newry."
He acknowledged ongoing funding challenges facing the Executive, while reaffirming his commitment to progress in Newry. "Whilst we continue to face considerable challenges, principally the underfunding of the north's Executive by the British government and the enduring impact of partition, we are determined to make progress. We will continue to work hard to make Newry the best place possible to live in, work in, visit and invest in. Our city centre park will be a huge contributor to this. We look forward to work starting on site in the coming months, with completion in 2028."
Conor Murphy now a Senator added: "This is a major investment and a gamechanger for the city. I was involved with this project for many years having secured £16.2 million for the park in 2021.
