Accessible play park for Limavady moves a step closer

Gemma Lynch’s summer petition calling on Causeway Coast & Glens Borough Council to build an accessible park in Limavady received hundreds of signatures.

They all agreed Limavady would benefit from a facility similar to the recently-opened ‘Diversity Park’ in Portstewart, which is inclusive for people of various ages and include facilities for those with disabilities and sensory needs.

Now, it’s emerged, following a recent leisure and development ‘project prioritisation process’, out of 34, an accessible playpark for Limavady ranked number one.

“This is great news,” Ms Lynch told the ‘Journal’. “I’m delighted it’s moving in the right direction. It would be a community facility for everyone.”

Sinn Fein Councillor, Dermot Nicholl, welcomed the news. He said such a facility was “badly needed.”

“I know people from Greysteel and Limavady who travel to Portstewart to use the accessible park there. Council is a service provider for this type of facility, and that’s what it should be doing,” said Colr. Nicholl.

“This is definitely a move in the right direction and I look forward to it moving forward.”

Causeway Coast and Glens Deputy Mayor, Colr. James McCorkell and his DUP colleague, Colr. Aaron Callan , have also welcomed the development.

Colr. McCorkell said he’d worked closely with campaigners and parents.

They said “a job of work now had to be done by Council to move the project forward and to a conclusion.”

Colr. McCorkell said “a number of Wards within the Limavady DEA sat at the top of Northern Ireland’s most deprived areas.”

This, he said, coupled with a well subscribed Rossmar Primary School in the town, led him to believe there would be no major obstacles to it now proceeding and being delivered.

Other Limavady projects on the list include Bovalley Open Space, ranked number 11, and Scroggy Road facility development, ranked 24. A full report about the leisure and development project prioritisation will be brought to councillors in the New Year.