A NEW park ranger at Colin Glen Park will help improve safety, maintenance and accessibility at the park ahead of the summer months.
A meeting with community representatives and the management team at Colin Glen Trust focused on a range of issues including safety measures, lighting, walkways and general maintenance to help ensure the area remains accessible and welcoming for local residents.
Sinn Féin MLA Órlaithí Flynn, who attended the meeting, said there was a strong commitment from all parties to work together to enhance the park for the wider community.
“We had a very positive meeting with the Colin Glen Trust, Glen Parent Youth Group and the Lenadoon Community Forum today around how we can continue improving the park and encourage greater community use of the area,” she said.
“We have held previous discussions with all of the relevant stakeholders on the role that we can all play to support the forest park and encourage greater community use. We invited the DEARA minister out to the park in October last year and are keen to keep his officials involved in any positive role they can play in this work.
“It’s important that we continue working together to make full use of this beautiful natural space in the heart of our community."
Councillor Siobhán McCallin added: “I was pleased to hear today that the park now has a dedicated park warden who will oversee the upkeep and maintenance of the area to ensure it does not fall into disrepair while parts of the park remain temporarily closed.
“Our local parks are hugely important green spaces and community assets, and we’re fully committed to working with all relevant agencies to see Colin Glen Forest Park flourish as a local beauty spot for the community.”
Paul Niblock from the Glen Parent Youth Group, who has been lobbying for the redevelopment of Colin Glen Forest Park, said: “I was delighted that all parties agreed to convene a bi-monthly multi-agency meeting to ensure we are doing as much as possible to improve and protect this space for everyone in our community.”
A representative from Colin Glen Trust said the initiative "will support all areas of Lenadoon and Colin Glen Forest Park".
"With a new park ranger at Colin Glen and exciting plans for upgrades at the forest park, these are some of the ideas we are all working towards.”
