Sinn Féin’s Emma McGinley has said that the voices of children and young people 'must be heard’ during public consultation for a new play park near St. Brigid’s Primary School.

Derry City and Strabane District Council has set aside £500,000 in funding to design and deliver a play park at Carnhill for the Ballyarnett DEA, and at January’s Environment and Regeneration Committee members endorsed lands in front of St Brigid’s as the preferred site.

An Officers' report, presented to elected representatives at October’s Committee meeting, confirmed that a public consultation will take place at St Brigid’s Hall, Carnhill, on November 9, between 10 and 1pm, 2pm and 6pm and 7pm and 9pm, to ‘disseminate the designs to the wider public and to elicit feedback on the proposals’.

“Officers for the GI team will be in attendance, high quality display boards will be on display, council’s media section will undertake social media to publicise the event," the report added.

placeholder image — Councillor Emma McGinley.

Councillor McGinley said her Sinn Féin colleague and Ballyarnett representative, councillor Sandra Duffy, has been promoting the public consultation.

Councillor McGinley added: “Can I just ask that we ensure the children and young people's voices are heard within the consultation and we try and promote it.

“I don't know if we can do that through the Children and Young people's Officer to contact the local youth services, or even within the school.

“But I think that their voices are really important as it's going to be for them, so I think that their opinions matter.”