KIDS at Donegall Road Primary School in South Belfast are loving their brand-new playground, made possible thanks to an £80,000 donation from Hagan Homes to the Greater Village Regeneration Trust (GVRT).
The new facility was designed with input from the School Council and delivered in partnership with the Education Authority.
The transformed space includes a versatile MUGA pitch for football and basketball, a snakes and ladders grid, a shed stocked with play equipment for break and lunchtime, and a calm area with picnic tables that doubles as an outdoor classroom with chalkboards. The boundary wall has also been rebuilt to provide continuous seating around the playground.
Phil Massey is Principal of Donegall Road PS, which currently has 191 pupils on its register. He said: “This playground is a game-changer for our pupils.
"Our school council helped shape the design, and the result is a safe, vibrant space where children can be active, learn outdoors and spend time with friends. We’re deeply grateful to Hagan Homes for their generosity and to GVRT for making this possible.”
Jim Burke, Managing Director, Hagan Homes, added: “We’re thrilled to see the children enjoying their new outdoor space. With so many Hagan Homes developments in Belfast, we’re committed to investing in the communities where we build. Partnering with GVRT and Donegall Road Primary School on a project that promotes play, health and learning is exactly the kind of local initiative we’re proud to support.”
Sarah Bowden, Director, Greater Village Regeneration Trust, said: “We were pleased to have been able to work alongside Hagan Homes and Donegall Road Primary School to secure this much-needed £80,000 towards a new playground, which supports physical activity, social skills and increased usage of the outside space in the school, which for a long time had lacked investment.
"The benefits of this will be felt by all the children and young people and indeed the wider school community and will be a well-deserved and much needed asset to the school.
"This project aligns with GVRT’s mission to improve the quality of life for the local community, and we will continue to do what we can to support projects such as this in the future.”
