Write a commentA picket organised by Youth Action has highlighted the need for a city park for Newry. The campaign for a 15 acre Park at the Albert Basin has gained momentum in recent weeks with group Youth Action organising the weekends picket as well as local school involvement.
Saturdays picket was attended by Newry and Armagh MP, Mickey Brady as well as MLA’s Justin McNulty and Conor Murphy and local Councillors Liz Kimmins and Gary Stokes who all voiced their support for the project.
Aoife Hollywood from Our Lady’s Grammar School added “We need somewhere to hang out with friends, we ask Newry,Mourne and Down Council to respond to our needs. The Albert Basin Park will help us create new friendships and meet with other communities, we want a free open green space that will allow us to be ourselves, be with our family and friends, show off our talents and fully engage with our community. So don’t leave us in the dark, give us Albert Basin Park.”
MP Mickey Brady speaking in support of a public park in Newry said “It’s something that’s much needed and it should have been provided a long time ago”
If you look at other cities and towns around, they’ve got two or three public parks, it’s something that Newry needs and the sooner it’s provided the better”
Justin McNulty, MLA praised the park projects fantastic vision for the future. “It’s something we should all get behind, something our city can be proud of and something to be proud of for our future generations.”
Cllr Liz Kimmins also supporting the need for a City Park spoke of how a central park would help to reduce the strains on our health service. ”The creation of a fully resourced City Park is viewed by most of us as a key element in the key area of urban regeneration. A fully resourced, easily assessable natural Park area would facilitate and encourage healthy lifestyles and emotional well being of all in particular the most vulnerable within our communities. It would also contribute to the social and economic well being of the District"
Cllr Gary Stokes added “Going back over many years as a councillor, knocking doors, families, parents particularly have asked me where can we take our children to play.
“Great cities are defined by their parks, you take New York and it’s Central Park, Dublin and it’s majestic Phoenix Park. Newry does not have a central park. The site at Albert Basin has been vacant now for many decades, It is already in council ownership. If the council was a private developer, we would be at it’s gate saying what are you doing with this brilliant piece of ground and why are you not giving it to the people of Newry. It already belongs to the people of Newry so why the council will not get on with it’s job and build the park. It is the councils job to provide leisure and open space for it’s citizens”
Brian Cleland, Chairman of Newry 2020 spoke of the importance of the entire 15 acres at the Albert Basin being used for the park and not a lesser version “All 15 acres belong to the people of Newry, we don’t want a second class park because we’re not second class citizens. We are a first class community, first class people”
