Colin Glen Forest Park is one of only three locations in Northern Ireland to be awarded the Civic Trust’s Green Flag Award, the first time the award has been made in Northern Ireland.
This award recognises a high quality of management in civic parks and other open public spaces. The criteria on which the award is assessed include the quality welcome to the public, health and safety, and community involvement.
Colin Glen Forest Park was awarded the Green Flag because of its partnership scheme involving the local community, the Colin Glen Trust charity and Department of the Environment.
The Minister said: “Open spaces like this Forest Park are very important to the health and well-being of the local people, providing a place for a good walk, away from the traffic, and a chance to enjoy the natural world, even here in the City.
“It is particularly gratifying to recognise the involvement of the local community in this project – as users, as employees, as business partners and as members of the Board, who I must commend for their unstinting support and guidance to Colin Glen Trust. My Department owns the Forest Park. Financial backing and advice is channelled through the Northern Ireland Environment Agency (NIEA). But the Forest Park works because of that community involvement. It really is ‘your park’.”
Mr Wilson paid tribute to the Colin Glen Trust staff and their Chief Executive Tim Duffy who manage the 200 acre Forest Park on behalf of the DOE. The site has been substantially restored from a neglected dumping ground to an attractive wooded glen with popular walks and a Visitor Centre, attracting around 250,000 visits annually, including 4,000 school visits.
Notes to Editors:
1. Colin Glen Forest Park runs along the course of the Colin River from Stewartstown Road up to the Glen Road in the Dunmurry area of west Belfast.
2. The Civic Trust is an independent, national organisation with charitable status. It is the leading UK charity dedicated to bringing vitality and high quality design to the built environment.
3. The Green Flag Award was first introduced to England and Wales in 1996. 2008 is the first year that the award has been introduced into Northern Ireland with the award of ‘Green Flags’ to three parks in 2008 – 2009: Colin Glen Forest Park, Castle Gardens Lisburn, and Lurgan Park.
4. The Colin Glen Trust charity manages Colin Glen Forest Park on behalf of the DOE. NIEA is the main funder of the management.
5. For media enquiries please contact DOE Press Office 028 9054 0014 or out of office hours, contact the EIS Duty Press Officer on pager 07699 715 440 and your call will be returned.
