Councillor Cara McShane has welcomed work which started recently to restore and improve the boardwalk at Ballycastle beachfront, a popular amenity for both the local community and visitors to the County Antrim town.
Cllr McShane had led the campaign within Causeway Coast and Glens Borough Council to have the boardwalk developed several years ago, but sadly it was destroyed in July 2021 in a fire deliberately started by vandals.
The Sinn Féin representative said:
"The boardwalk was a massive success for residents and visitors in Ballycastle. It was hugely popular, giving enhanced accessibility to the coast for wheelchair users; people pushing prams and those with various mobility issues that wouldn't ordinarily be able to get close to the beach.
"The destruction of one of the best used public assets in the town last summer, was an attack on every individual in this community. The people responsible stripped away accessibility to the beach for thousands of people over the past 12 months.
"Although it has taken a long time, I am delighted that the boardwalk has now been reconstructed. It will be welcomed again by many people in our community and for people who visit Ballycastle. This is one of a number of projects that Council has been involved in to enhance accessibility to beaches across the District.”