Developers have begun construction on a £5 million transformational park development in West Belfast.

The Colin Urban Village area project will see a vacant 17-acre site redeveloped into a high quality destination park for locals and visitors of all ages. It will include a play park, teen space, pump track, event space, environmental learning zone and wetland habitat.

Junior Ministers Declan Kearney and Gordon Lyons were joined by local community representatives, school pupils and residents to celebrate the official sod turning ceremony. The event on Thursday afternoon, 05 March, also welcomed Syrian families who have recently moved into the area and groups from the EastSide Urban Village who have been participating in cross-city projects with organisations in the Colin area.

Speaking at the ceremony, Junior Minister Kearney said: "This new park will be a fantastic facility that will deliver something for everyone. 

"This £5 million investment under The Executive Office's Urban Villages Initiative will incorporate a play area for younger children, an event space, a nature education area and a youth zone.

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"There will be park runs, events and other activities for people of all ages to get involved in, so it will be a superb space for local people and visitors alike.

"There is a diverse local community ready and waiting to enjoy this fantastic new park, which will be a safe, shared space - a place for everyone to enjoy."

The project is being delivered in partnership with Belfast City Council on land transferred to the local authority by the Department for Communities.

The new facility will provide a high quality contemporary shared space, improving connectivity across the whole Colin area.

The 'Leap of Faith' sculpture - developed in 2010 by the local community in partnership with schoolchildren reflecting the aspirational leap from adolescence into adulthood - will be relocated to become a prominent feature at the entrance of the new park.

Lord Mayor of Belfast, Cllr Daniel Baker commented: "I am delighted to see work get under way on this new destination public park in the Colin area. When it opens next year it will be an extremely valuable addition to the local community. Like the council's recent £15 million investment in the new Brook leisure centre which opened in December, I hope the new park will attract many people to the area who may not have previously visited.

"This investment by the Urban Villages Initiative supports the aspirations of our Belfast Agenda which aims to improve the health and wellbeing of all our citizens. Our parks and open spaces are extremely important assets which encourage people to enjoy the outdoors and get more active, so this new park will make a big difference to people's lives."

Work on the Colin park project is expected to reach completion by spring 2021.

(CM/MH)