Save Ward Park library play park

We are writing to contest the proposed removal of the play park next to Bangor Carnegie Library. 

We welcome the council’s addition of a new larger play park to the Gransha Road end of Ward park, but we believe the existing smaller library play park should also be retained. 

The library play park’s success relates to its proximity to both the library and café. The library runs rhythm and rhyme classes for young children three mornings week after which many parents make use of the small park next to library. Both facilities support  one another and encourage children to use the library also. 

When caring for small children having warm indoor bathroom and food facilities around a play park are invaluable.  Being able to change a nappy or take a potty training toddler to warm indoor toilet very nearby to a play park are necessities. Being able to go indoors to breastfeed a baby in winter or get food and drinks for parents and young children at a nearby café such a Park Life are also essential. The time it would take to walk the length of  Ward Park from the new play park back to these facilities would be too long for the needs of small children and their caregivers given the pace a toddler or parent carrying a small child can walk. 

The current park meets these needs and is functional in its current state with the exception of one small ride which has been removed. It is well suited to very small children. We welcome a new park and appreciate that this is something the council has provided but feel the removal of the existing park would have a negative impact on parents. 

The proposal to provide a dementia / sensory garden is very much welcome and supported. There is no reason for this to replace the existing playpark. There is evidence that being around small children is beneficial to people with dementia and these two things could be incorporated in a more creative way. There is no need to silo off various groups of people who could be adjacent to or nearby to the existing park. Alternatively, the council could find another location within Ward park for the dementia garden. Perhaps this could be an opportunity for the council to review the dated and cruel practice of keeping enclosed live birds within the park and this area would be an ideal location for a new dementia garden. 

Ward Park is a large park, especially when trying to cross it with toddlers or small children on foot and Bangor has a large enough population to justify to two play parks within one major park particularly as they seem to meet slightly different needs. 

In 2019 Ards and North Down Borough council declared a Climate Emergency and therefore should be more mindful of unnecessary demolition which wastes an excessive amount of carbon. Whilst the council has plans to undertake a large amount of unnecessary demolition elsewhere in Bangor, it is carbon intensive and wasteful to remove a functional and very popular children’s play park. Especially one that is well used and takes up very little space in order to provide facilities for other users where other space available available for the dementia garden or the two things could be incorporated. Almost no public money would be required to keep this play park operational, a small amount would repair the ground where an old roundabout was removed. Therefore, this proposal should be cost neutral within your overall budget and plans to develop Ward Park.

We ask the council to cancel its plans to remove the play park next to bangor library. 

Many of us have been taking our small children to the very popular library rhythm and rhyme class followed by the adjacent playpark weekly for a number of years so know first hand it is well used. Many parents and caregivers understand the benefit of the proximity of this park to both the library and Parklife Café when caring for small children. It’s Removal would make our job more difficult trying to navigate the length of the park with small children in need of the bathroom or warmth of an indoor café as a place to eat. As the main existing user group of this part of the park we hope our views are taken on board by the council.

Thank you.