Council Parks and Open Spaces Retain Green Flag Awards

The success of Northern Ireland’s green spaces was celebrated at the annual Live Here Love Here Green Flag Awards at Mossley Mill, with six sites in Newry, Mourne and Down recognised for excellence in the management of public parks and green spaces.

Rostrevor’s Kilbroney Park, Castlewellan Forest Park, Delamont Country Park on the shores of Strangford Lough, Slieve Gullion Forest Park, Newry Canal and Warrenpoint Municipal Park (Heritage) retained their Green Flag accreditation.

The awards were announced at a ceremony at Mossley Hill, with Council site managers recognised for the pivotal work they do in maintaining public spaces critical to local communities. Community groups from Newry, Mourne and Down and across Northern Ireland were also celebrated for their dedication in maintaining and enhancing their local green spaces.

A record-breaking 122 sites across NI were awarded this year, including 86 Green Flag Awards and 36 Community Green Flags. Seven Heritage Awards were given to sites that also demonstrated excellence in the care of their heritage elements, including Warrenpoint Municipal Park. Two sites also received Green Flag NI Pollinator Awards.

The Green Flag Award programme in Northern Ireland is sponsored by Power NI, part of Energia Group, and supported by the Department for Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs (DAERA).

DAERA Minister Andrew Muir said, “I am proud to support the Green Flags programme and it is truly encouraging to see so many people who care deeply about their communities and green spaces.

“Our green spaces benefit the whole community and it is important that everyone feels welcome, safe and encouraged to avail of the wonderful facilities in our parks which provide us with healthy spaces to live and relax. The prestigious green flag celebrates a standard of excellence and I look forward to seeing the green flags flying high from our parks and green spaces.”

This year, the awards focus on ensuring parks are safe spaces for women and girls, with the  awards promoting the message that green spaces should be open to everyone in society and everything should be done to ensure that women and girls feel safe in all parts of Northern Ireland. These awards can serve as a timely reminder to ensure that all parks and green spaces remain safe and secure.

Junior Minister Joanne Bunting said, “These awards are an opportunity to celebrate those who help make our parks and green spaces places of pride, connection and wellbeing. I commend Live Here Love Here, local councils, community groups and volunteers for their dedication to maintaining these important spaces and congratulate all award recipients on this well-deserved recognition.

“While Northern Ireland is consistently one of the three safest places in which to live in the whole of the UK, sadly, violence against women and girls continues to have a devastating impact here. The theme of this year’s awards which focuses on making parks and open spaces safer for women and girls, highlights the importance of ensuring public spaces can be enjoyed by everyone.”

Junior Minister Aisling Reilly said, “Congratulations to all those who received awards. Your work is vital in providing welcoming outdoor community spaces for families and people of all ages and abilities. Our green spaces are at the heart of many communities – places where people can come together to play, exercise and socialise, keep healthy and look after their mental health and wellbeing.

“The Executive Office is committed to ending the scourge of violence against women and girls, so I want to thank all those working to ensure that our parks are safe, welcoming spaces that can be enjoyed by everyone in our community.”

Live Here Love Here Chief Executive, Eric Randall said, “Our parks are a centre point of our communities. They play an important role in supporting our environment and promoting well-being for our citizens.

“This year, we want to focus on ensuring that these green spaces are accessible and safe for all, most importantly, women and girls. The awards were a great opportunity to share best practices in this area and hear about how other places have tackled this issue.

“We have read and heard about some of the appalling statistics about violence against women and girls in Northern Ireland. As a society, we need to tackle this issue and ensure that all parts of our society are safe. Today’s awards are a reminder of the role our parks can play in supporting all of us and why we need to keep raising awareness of the need for everyone to feel at home in the shared spaces we all love.”

Newry, Mourne and Down District Council Chairperson, Councillor Glyn Hanna said, “I would like to thank the Council’s Forest Park and Grounds Maintenance teams and volunteers for their tireless hard work, passion and commitment to maintaining these amazing facilities to such a high standard.

“Their collective efforts ensure residents and visitors alike can enjoy some of the finest parks and open spaces around. We are incredibly fortunate to have such an amazing array of natural beauty and accessible resources within our district.”

Cllr Hanna said the Council remains committed to promoting and supporting active and healthy communities and that providing access to high-quality green spaces is a key part of this commitment, encouraging people from across the district and beyond to visit and enjoy the range of stunning, award-winning locations.

The Green Flag programme sets international standards for our parks to strive toward and provides an important benchmark for the public to understand the quality of what is on their doorstep. This programme offers the opportunity to share best practice across different countries.