Children living in the Abercorn Park area of Portadown have been without a play park for over three years, with deadline after deadline to put in place a new facility falling by the wayside.
“Enough is enough,” declared DUP Alderman Margaret Tinsley, who has raised the issue repeatedly on their behalf and warned the local community’s patience is now wearing very thin.
The local representative vented her anger at Tuesday’s environmental services committee sitting of ABC Council, when she outlined what she believes to have been a shambolic situation, questioning whether bringing out children to protest was the only option to finally see something done.
Alderman Tinsley – highlighting efforts and lack of results to date – demanded an update on the current status of the planned community consultation on play facilities at Abercorn Park in Killicomaine.
“Following the missed deadlines in spring, I was then informed that the consultation with the school children would be completed at the beginning of June, before the children broke up for the summer holidays,” she said. “That deadline was missed.
“The children have now returned to school for a new term and we still do not have a confirmed date for the consultation. This is extremely disappointing for the children and for the wider Killicomaine community.
“The Abercorn area has been without adequate play facilities for far too long and the continued delays are causing growing frustration. Residents have been patient, but patience is now wearing very thin. There have been numerous deadlines and commitments that have not been met with repeated explanations for why progress has not happened.
“At this stage, the community needs more than another explanation. It needs action.
“I am, therefore, asking for an honest and comprehensive update on this project. What has been the reason for the continuous delays? Why was the previously committed consultation date in early June not delivered? What is the status of the Abercorn play park project now? Has a consultation date with the school children now been confirmed and, if not, why not? What are the remaining stages of the project and the anticipated timescale for completion? Who, finally, is responsible for progressing this work and ensuring that agreed deadlines are met?
“Quite frankly, enough is enough; I am continuing to disappoint the children who should have access to adequate play facilities in their own community. The level of frustration locally is understandably high and I totally share that frustration.
“I am asking that a firm consultation date is agreed as a matter of urgency and that this project is progressed without any further unnecessary delay. The children and the residents of Killicomaine have waited long enough. They deserve to see meaningful progress now.”
Outdoor leisure operations manager Michael Ruddy explained that the delay was due to a “contractual matter and signing of the documents”, with issues which had now been resolved but which had “pushed the programme back a bit”.
The school summer holidays, he said, had added to the delays.
But he explained a play development officer was currently finalising a consultation schedule, identifying community groups within Abercorn, Pinebank and Huntley, in Banbridge, three areas where play parks are to progress.
Mr Ruddy said they would look at venues for drop-in sessions for those residents who were not part of the community association, such as Killicomaine Community Centre.
“Obviously, it’s been difficult to get in contact with the schools, whenever the school principals and the teachers are off over the summer, so by the end of the week we would hope to have a consultation schedule,” he added.
“There has been an extensive list pulled together to date and it’s just a matter of getting dates in the diary now to carry out the consultation. We would hope by the end of September, consultations have been completed for those three play parks that I’ve mentioned.”
Alderman Tinsley was positively seething.
“Herein lies my frustration,” she said, “because I was told in June that we would use the community centre and we would get the word out. So, we can’t blame the schools for them not having that consultation. That should have been done, and we’re now talking about, we’ll hopefully have a date for the end of September, hence another date.”
“It’s been going on for three years, since they went in and pulled the play equipment out, and the community went up in arms about that,” added Alderman Tinsley. “But they were promised, they took patience, and they had understanding, because to replace that was going to cost a lot of money, and we said, ‘No, we’re going to put a new play park in; be patient.’ We didn’t think this was going to be three-and-a-half years later and it’s still not even at the consultation stage.”
“I don’t know what we’re going to have to do,” she said. “Are we going to have to start doing protests in the park?
“I’ve been very, very patient. I have constantly raised this in the background for quite some time, as you well know. I’m with the residents, I’m just totally and utterly frustrated.”
The outdoor leisure manager said that there had been work over the summer at all play parks, with the contractor visiting each location. Concept designs, said Mr Ruddy, had been completed and would be finalised into 3D designs to be used as part of consultations, as he again apologised for delays.
DUP Councillor Tim McClelland spoke to support his party colleague while highlighting another issue of his own.
“It hasn’t been three years, but it has been eight or nine months since the well-used play park in Katesbridge has been closed following the storm at the start of the year,” he added. “I know there has been work going on in the background with officers – I’ve had multiple contacts with officers – but I would just urge that Katesbridge is not forgotten.”
Alderman Paul Greenfield also highlighted the need for progress at Katesbridge and at Huntley, asking for definitive timelines for those play parks planned and questioning whether this would in turn lead to further delays in pushing back others in the pipeline.
Mr Ruddy said he did not want to give “a confirmed timeline yet, just in case it slips”.
But he added: “We are hoping that there will be work on the ground before the Christmas period. We have appointed a contractor to deliver a number of play parks over a two-year period, so the contractor is contractually obliged to deliver those play parks, so there’ll be an ongoing rolling consultation programme and once we start now with these three play parks we’ll be moving on to those ones that are identified next.”
In terms of Katesbridge, the outdoor leisure manager said the contractor had visited the site to consider potential designs. There were, however, “some difficulties” and, given its location close to the river, it was expected “further discussions” would be required with councillors for that area to progress matters there.
