BELFAST City Council has approved £21,000 worth of funding for the Lagan Valley Regional Park (LVRP) after the leisure facility was hit by crippling Department for Infrastructure cuts.
The Belfast funding was approved on the basis that Lisburn and Castlereagh Council will match the funding for the park.
The park is classified as an Area of Outstanding Beauty and councillors in Belfast have expressed hope that the new funding will offset the DfI cuts and save jobs.
Sinn Féin Balmoral Councillor Geraldine McAteer welcomed the funding and said it will be a great relief to the staff and board of LVRP who have faced job losses since the DfI cut their funding in April 2023. She also welcomed the expected Lisburn and Castlereagh Council match-funding.
“Lagan Valley Regional Park is an area of outstanding natural beauty that connects Belfast and Lisburn along the winding banks of the Lagan, with the towpath at its heart in south Belfast," she said. "It is rich in biodiversity and its archaeological heritage includes such gems as the Giants Ring."
“It is a much loved destination for the young and not so young, with over 1.8 million visitors last year."
Lagan Valley Regional Park #LVRP. Did you know it´s the ONLY regional park in NI? This corridor of biodiverse habitat, links from Stranmillis #Belfast to the 4 locks @LVIConference #Lisburn. #Walking here is a joy. An incredible #natural #asset. @SaveOurLagan @Quarterlands23 pic.twitter.com/rcanQUy7SN
— walkitoffni 🇺🇦 #StandwithUkraine 💙 she/her (@walkitoffni) November 28, 2023
Geraldine continued: “You have to wonder why the Department for Infrastructure has taken such a nickels and dimes approach to the only regional park we have in the six counties. You would think they would be proud to support such an amazing park which provides unfettered space for people to enjoy and biodiversity to flourish between two large heavily populated areas, not to mention its contribution to action on climate change. Instead, they jettisoned their financial support of the one and only regional park they had responsibility for.
“LVRP were told that there was no finance available to support the park and DfI were well aware that jobs could go and the care of the park would suffer as a consequence.
“However, LVRP is great value for money in terms of the public purse. It has a voluntary board and a small staff of five people – full and part-time. The staff work hard to manage the rich eco-system of the Lagan Valley and to welcome visitors.
“This is a regional park that contributes abundantly to the mental health and well-being of its visitors. Around 160 people volunteer within the park, enjoying forestry tasks while connecting with nature and making friends."
