Ballyarnett Park in Derry: 'We are fed up being treated like second class citizens' say users

The diverse group of local people came together to say they have had enough of promises and proposals that come to nothing and warned that there was "not so much as a toilet" for the children who access the popular playpark there, hardly any seating, and steep steps which make part of the site totally inaccessible to people living with a disability or mobility issues.

The residents said they want to see investment on a par with other parks and public spaces which are far better funded and resourced.

They also point out that the parkland could become a mecca for tourists, schools and events if Derry City & Strabane District Council and its partners dedicate themselves to addressing the resource deficit.

As well as toilet and changing facilities for people of all abilities and ages, they suggested a café, gift shop, a cultural events programme, animal therapy and modern facilities generally as well as permanent park wardens / rangers to look after it. They also want to see the site where Amelia Earhart landed properly marked and the nearby visitor complex reopened.

It is now 91 years since Amelia Earhart landed in Gallagher's field in Ballyarnett on May 21, 1932 after a 15 hour flight. In doing so, the world famous US aviator became the first woman ever to fly solo across the Atlantic.

Speaking to the Journal the park users pointed out that this was a historic site of global significance, Amelia Earhart having made history by landing there 91 years ago and becoming the first woman in history to fly solo across the Atlantic. They pointed out that the site is now marked only by a concrete cross on the grass with no signage or anything to else to notify visitors, including US tourists, of its significance. The Amelia Earhart museum at the top of Ballyarnett Country Park has been closed and shuttered for years.

"It's a disgrace," said Davy Cregan, who visits the park every day and has been doing so for years . "We have this beautiful park that is very well used by local people but there are no facilities, for the children or for people generally. There's not even a toilet in it. And you have all this history with Amelia Earhart as well.

"We were told there was funding allocated for the park. Where is it? We wanted to get more funding to utilise it more, and to this Council would be added to the Council funding to help the Council. We were told it was ready to go, but then it was all stopped then.

"We are fed up being treated like second class citizens when the potential here is out of this world.

"We don't care who does it, we just want to see it done. I feel very passionate about it."

Wheelchair user Davy said that as well as a safe crossing for the children, toilet facilities, seating areas, provision for people with disabilities and other amenities introduced as a matter of course elsewhere were badly and urgently needed.

The park users pointed out that in the past disabled children accessing the play park have had to go to be taken home or even behind a bush to go to the toilet because there are no facilities.

The play park also contains the only real mention of Amelia Earhart in a series of mounted information boards, but is off limits to anyone like Davy who is in a wheelchair as there is no path on which they can access them.

He also pointed out how just above the play park there is a large flat open space with one shipping container unit. He said this would be an ideal site for a café and toilet block as there is already a water drainage system connection in place there.

"There were two more of these container units here as well and they took them away whereas they could have been utilised as a wee café and toilets. You can see all around the park from here and you can see the playpark for anyone worried about their children."

From this site there are beautiful views out over the lower park and beyond to the hills of Donegal, and pathways leading to diverse woodland glades, but they are not accessible to all as Davy points out, while some of the paths are pockmarked with potholes making it treacherous for anyone in a wheelchair or walking with limited mobility. "There are parts you can't get to because of the steps are the only way to get to them." This includes steps leading from the park to the area adjacent to Steelstown Brian Og's GAA grounds.

Michael McDevitt from Cornshell Fields is a regular user of Ballyarnett Country Park and going for walks there has helped him drop in weight from 38 stone to 25.

Michael said he and a few friends have also fallen over in the park due to the steps. Davy too has tripped over the remnants of a bollard that was torn up and never replaced and fallen out of his wheelchair. Cars, they said, are still accessing what should be a pedestrian area.

Michael said there is so much potential in the country park that hasn't been realised and agreed that the many plans haven't been advanced. "There was supposed to be allotments up the top as well. It never happened," he said.

"This park here should be a world heritage site by right," he said. It needs to be recognised as a heritage site. It would help attract Americans and even people from Northern Ireland if the story was told right.

"We are now starting to come up to the 100th anniversary of Amelia Earhart landing here in nine years time and Derry has this connection to America because of that, and a lot of people don't even know about it. This history is party of the history of this city and this was the first woman to ever cross from America to Europe flying. This was the first country she went to from America. The President of the United States was here and he could have come to this place because of the shared history."

Bronagh McNamara from Ruby Fitness works with children and adults with disabilities, and is part of Na Magha hurling club, which adjoins the top of the park. Bronagh sees the potential but shares the frustrations of the others. "Look at this space, I am round here all the time and up at the Na Magha. I am trying to do a wee forest club with the babies, 'tree babies'. We were doing baby yoga and baby massage with the children in among the trees. But there is no toilets, no facilities, nothing around. Any other park you would have things here, any other place in the country you would have toilets.

"As Davy was saying you could do a lot here but it is not inclusive for disabilities, there are no facilities.

"We have the sports clubs here, and the bunscoil but it is not joined up. My eldest son is 24 and I was promised when he was at the bunscoil this area would be utilised and there would be a new school. My other son is 13. And I have a two year old and I am going back to the bunscoil again and they are still in huts. The school could be in here, the park, the toilets, and look at the pitches.

"Schoolchildren could be doing so much in here, even school sports days. You could have projects bringing older people and younger people together."

Bronagh added: "Someone coming in a wheelchair here they are not thought of. The park is amazing but look at how much you could enhance it.

"There is such a heart in here and we all have some connection to this park. We want anyone with disabilities to be able to come in easily, we want it to be accessible and inclusive."

On the road up to the top of the park, you pass numerous undeveloped large flat spaces and the spot where Amelia Earhart landed, marked only by a concrete cross inlaid in the grass with nothing to indicate its significance to a passer-by.

Directly opposite is an enchanting woodland with huge trees standing sentinel and making way to a forested area.

At the top of the park, Tommy Mullan spoke about the historical significance of the area and the connection to Amelia Earhart and also to the historic horseracing course, for which the Racecourse Road is named, which was located in the same area.

A veteran Galliagh community worker and long-standing advocate for regenerating the park, Mr Mullan pointed out that the Amelia Earhart visitor and heritage centre here, run for years by local historian John Thompson. close to the spot where Amelia Earhart landed, has now been closed for over a decade.

This is despite the huge significance of the connection with the US aviator, and like Davy, Mr Mullan believes this is a shameful missed opportunity in terms of tourist potential, providing an education and training facility for local people and the city, and creating employment.

Mr Mullan, who has protested the closure and lack of resources with John Thompson in years past, said: "There is massive potential here and that is not being realised.

"We need to ask why this facility was sealed off in such a way that the doors will never be opened again."

Michael's father James McDevitt said the house was built with the stones from the Gallagher homestead was used to build the centre.

Mr Mullan said: "I worked up in the hostel in Derry years ago and a lot of Americans came and when they came they all wanted to know where Amelia Earhart landed and I used to take them down here and show them where she landed and I used to take them into the centre here and we would have had a wee cup of team with John Thompson.

"There were summer seats here as well, there is such great potential and here it is locked up.

"I'd like to see the Council putting a bit of effort into the park again. Council money should be getting spent here, which is not happening.

"There should be a warden here steady. When they opened this centre here there was two men and they were wardens and they looked after the park, it was kept very well."

James McDevitt pointed out that the lack of resident wardens down the years had resulted in anti-social elements engaging in destructive behaviours in the park as well as illegal dumping episodes.

Davy agrees, saying: "I'll guarantee you they have paid more money out for anti-social behaviour and fire brigades than if they wardens here."

And those you come across walking through the park feel the same way. Passer-by, local resident Gary McMonagle agreed whole-heartedly with the points he heard being raised. "I am up here all the time. There's not a toilet in the park and there's only one bin. They should be doing a lot here and it isn't happening," he said.

Mark Doherty, whose father Hugh Doherty along with Charlie Morrison were responsible for much of the beautiful planting and landscaping in the country park, which they undertook as s a labour of love down the years, said it would be right and fitting to have facilities in this historic place.

He summed up the feelings of the residents, saying: "It is not being utilised properly. They have always had plans but nothing was ever done about it, it has always been stagnant."

A spokesperson for Derry City and Strabane District Council said that the former Derry City Council, after it closed the site, undertook a series of consultations with the community and users of the area which they in turn took on board as part of the overall development of Ballyarnett Country Park.

The spokesperson said: “The current Derry City and Strabane District Council recognises the huge importance of Amelia Earhart's connections with the city and has provided funding to the Amelia Earhart Legacy Association to assist with their recent anniversary celebrations and the Amelia Earhart story and connections with the city remains a key tourism attraction and marketing tool in telling our unique story to a global audience.

“Back in 2017, Council invested over £600k in the provision of a state-of-the-art play park facility which is widely used and continues to be maintained and monitored by the Council. Since then the Council has been working in close partnership with the Outer North Neighbourhood Partnership in pursuit of Action 61 of their Outer North Neighbourhood action plan to engage in an extensive consultation process as to the future use and development of the Ballyarnett Country Park Masterplan. The Masterplan will act as a framework to develop a series of standalone projects over a period of time.

“Council is currently facing unprecedented financial challenges and while it is committed to delivering a full suite of critical front line essential services to ratepayers, these financial challenges and budgetary cuts means that any new capital investment programmes need to be financially supported from external funding. The projects identified as part of the Masterplan will be subject to finances becoming available, prioritisation and approval through the Council’s capital review group.

“Last year, as part of its 2022/23 Levelling Up fund bid Council put together an ambitious Greenway’s Active Travel Programme bid to secure funding for additional greenway infrastructure (shared walking and cycling facilities) across the Council area incorporating the Racecourse and Ballyarnett Country Park. Unfortunately, while Council was unsuccessful in this round of funding, its teams are working with its strategic partners to look at further funding sources when they become available.”