Councillor says: “They actually want to see proper resources for the existing opening hours”
Woodvale Park in West Belfast has been taken off a list of parks that could have 24 hour opening trials next year.
At a City Hall meeting this week, DUP Councillor Nicola Verner successfully proposed Woodvale be dropped from the trials after a consultation exercise with the public showed locals did not want the trial due to worries about antisocial behaviour.
Last month, Belfast City Council officials revealed results from a public consultation across the city on 24 hour opening in some of its most popular parks.
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Survey results showed the public wants 24 hour opening in Botanic Park, Ormeau Park, and Belmont Park, but not in Falls Park and Woodvale Park.
The five online surveys had a total of 1678 responses. Botanic Gardens received 652, Ormeau Park received 593, Woodvale Park received 308, Belmont Park 51 and Falls Park 47.
There was no support for extending the opening hours of Woodvale Park, with 65 percent of respondents voicing their opinion against the proposal, the main reason being antisocial behaviour concerns.
The requirement for artificial lighting to facilitate extended park use and ensure safety during darker hours was raised a total of 956 times across all surveys.
Last month the council’s People and Communities Committee approved a 24 hour opening trial for the Forth Meadow Community Greenway, despite a mixed response from a public consultation. The plan had to go to a vote, where the DUP opposed 24 hours opening across the whole stretch. The gates along the greenway currently follow a dawn to dusk schedule for opening.
At the September meeting of the People and Communities Committee, DUP Councillor Nicola Verner successfully proposed “decoupling” Woodvale Park from the others, and not subjecting it to the 24 hour opening trial.
She said: “It is important that local residents are listened to, and their voices are respected, and that consultation in this council is not just a paper exercise, that it is meaningful and has value.
“We are softening somewhat on the position, from some councillors, given that we have had emails and submission from residents in Friends of Botanic. I would question, now that those residents have raised (the matter), are those voices and opinions more valuable than Woodvale?
“Because that was not the position last month, which was that we “crack ahead,” that we move ahead on this, that everyone was getting frustrated with the process not moving quickly enough. Despite the fact that (65 percent) of Woodvale did not want this to happen.
“But now we seem to be softening. That is the question I am asking myself, that residents in one part of the city are more valuable than residents in another part. I would not like to think so. Because I am not interested in railroading decisions against a community’s will.”
She added: “There is a clear will from the constituents there (in Woodvale) that they do not want to be part (of the trial). They actually want to see proper resources for the existing opening hours, wardens, toilets, and things like that, before we start jumping into extended hours.”
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