Call to look at closing Columb's Park at night

DUP Councillor David Ramsey raised the issue at the monthly meeting of Derry City & Strabane District Council’s Environment & Regeneration Committee, sitting in Strabane on Wednesday.

He was speaking after the presentation of the Council’s Annual Service Plan for the coming year.

Colr. Ramsey said that there was a need to review the matter at the Council-owned Waterside facility.

““We are going to have to look at closing it off at night like Brooke Park, because we are having major, major issues,” he said.

Colr. Ramsey last summer also called for greater enforcement of bye-laws banning drink in public places to tackle anti-social behaviour in St Columb’s Park at the time.

In 2015 he also put forward a motion calling for greater security and for entrances to the park to be secured at night.

At present Brooke Park - which has undergone a £5.6m restoration- is closed off to the public at night.