CULMORE Country Park will be a hive of activity on this Saturday, September 23, when Mayor of Derry City and Strabane District Council, Councillor Maolíosa McHugh, performs the official opening of the £7m restoration works at the site.A family fun day has been planned to run alongside the official opening which will include a sports day, bouncy castle, inflatable obstacle course, kids carousel, petting farm, train tours of the park and sports activities from the local soccer and GAA clubs.
Council have funded the entire restoration project at the Country Park, which was a former landfill site for waste until its closure in 2007, and the Mayor of the City and District, Councillor Maolíosa McHugh, encouraged the public to join in the fun and celebrate the park’s official opening.
“The Culmore Country Park redevelopment works is a major capital investment project which will further enhance the amenity provision in our City and District,” said Councillor McHugh.
“The work has offered Council a unique opportunity to transform a landfill area into a valuable green space for all our citizens and visitors to visit and enjoy.
“As well as offering spectacular views of Lough Foyle and the surrounding countryside to visitors, the project will also play an important role in protecting and enhancing the ecosystem around the area by creating habitats for over wintering birds and protecting the surrounding environment from any harmful effects from the landfill waste.”
Originally tidal, the land in the country park site was reclaimed for agricultural use in the late 19th and early 20th century before storms caused the sea defences to be breached.
In 1971 the site was developed by the former Derry Development Commission into a controlled municipal landfill site which it operated as for the next 36 years.
The restoration work began in in 2013 when the site was capped to reduce rainwater coming into contact with the waste and to trap gas emissions from it.
The emissions are now collected and used to generate electricity to operate the park and local waste water treatment works while some of the power is exported to the National Grid.
As well as the fun element to the official opening, the launch will offer Council the opportunity to continue with its engagement with the public on the future plans for the site – a process that has been going on since before the restoration took place.
Neil Doherty, Chairman of Culmore Community Partnership encouraged local people to play an active role in shaping the future plans for the site by contributing to the consultation process.
“As a partnership we are looking forward to the official opening of the site and hopefully we will see as many people as possible attending the family fun day that afternoon which will offer a wide range of activities for our young people to get involved in.
“The Country Park is a fantastic addition to the Culmore area and offers a beautiful environment for local people and visitors alike to come out and enjoy the fresh air and reap the benefits of using the extensive greenway within it.
“Three opportunities for future development of the site have emanated from the public consultations so far; a community building, a play area and a sports area and this event will offer local people the opportunity to give their views on those options.”
The Mayor will unveil a plaque to mark the official opening of the Country Park at 1.30 pm and family fun activities will be held from 1 pm-5 pm.
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