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Lisburn, Co. Antrim, Northern Ireland
 
 

 

 
 
 
 

TELL US WHAT YOU WANT

Lisburn people are invited to have their say on the future of Wallace Park

BY NEIL GREENLEES

THE people of Lisburn are to be given a say on a new masterplan for the refurbishment of Wallace Park.

Tuesday night's meeting of the City Council's Leisure Services Committee agreed the proposals by consultants Scott Wilson should be made available for wider public consultation until May 21.

A major opportunity for people to make their views known will occur on Saturday May 10 when representatives of the firm will be in the park following the annual Mayor's Parade.

A report on the public consultation will be presented to the committee meeting on June 3 and it is hoped work on part of the scheme - a new children's play area - will commence in the Autumn.

Paul Tully from Scott Wilson told Tuesday's meeting Autumn was the optimum time for the construction of a play area in preparation for the Christmas school holidays and the better weather in the Spring.

He made it clear he felt this should be a state of the art facility drawing comparisons with the play equipment on the Stormont Estate which draws families from a wide area.

He also showed pictures of play equipment at a facility in County Roscommon also designed by his company. Parents have to pay before their children can gain access to this play area. Mr. Tully said it was hoped a cafe kiosk could be provided at the play area along with a refurbished multi use games area.

Another major feature of the Masterplan is the construction of new changing facilities and public restrooms. This complex will be located just behind the existing cricket pavilion and will reduce the number of tennis courts from six to three. The new building will be in keeping with the nark's Victorian origins.


CLAIMS Wallace Park no longer suffers from anti-social behaviour have been described as 'nonsense' by Cllr Jenny Palmer.

Paul Tully of consultants Scott Wilson said at meetings between him and the 'Stakeholder' group set up to deal with the matter, he had been told anti-soclal behaviour was no longer a problem.

However, he said he was sure even if there was no anti-social behaviour there was a potential for it to occur. "I am sure there are people who do not feel safe walking through the park," he added.

The matter arose as the meeting looked at the issue of lighting in Wallace Park Mrs. Palmer pointed out the PSNI had said lighting was 'essential and added she believed the route between Mageralave Road and Belfast Road must be lit. She pointed out in winter children walked through the park on their way to the bus stop at Belfast Road from schools in the Magheralave area when darkness had already fallen.

Speaking after the meeting Councillor Jonathan Craig welcomed the masterplan.

THE OTHER PROPOSALS

  • Duckpond - refurbishment of concrete edging, the replacement of railings and the widening of the footpath on the northern edge. Overgrown vegetation will be thinned out to create a sense of security. Steps will be upgraded and a new handrail installed. There are also plans for a decking area at one corner of the pond to make it easier for people to feed the ducks.
  • Bandstand - cleaning and refurbishment of the structure with the paved area around the bandstand being widened and levelled to create a seating/performance area. New access pathways will also be laid.
  • Velodrome - removal of the embankment and creation of a new sand carpet football pitch.
  • Belsize and Magheralave Road entrances - continuation of kerbline footpath across both entrances and provision of stone paving for definition purposes.
  • Car park - removal of dog toilet to create extra spaces. The current boulders will also be removed and replaced with formal hedging. The recycling facilities will be retained but set hack from the car park.
  • Park boundary - addition of hedging and removal of second dog toilet close to Fort Hill.
  • Maintenance building - This will be retained and the compound surrounding it will be enclosed.
  • Other measures - general refurbishment and edging of paths in the park as well as the provision of new furniture such as seating and bins.

 

 

Ulster Star
04/04/2008