PEACEPLUS delivers big wins for Antrim: Skate park among highlights

A new skate park has been earmarked for Antrim through the next phase of PEACEPLUS funding.

Antrim and Newtownabbey Borough Council’s Operations Committee was given an update on the fifth programme, worth almost £400k, which is based on the theme ‘Our Active Borough’, to be delivered by the local authority during the next three years.

Speaking at last week’s committee meeting, Macedon Ulster Unionist Councillor Robert Foster said:

“I’m glad to see Antrim is getting a skate park.”

He joked that he was looking forward to seeing Antrim DUP Cllr Paul Dunlop BEM on a skateboard.

Cllr Dunlop replied:

“I will have a go on a skateboard if you join me Cllr Foster.”

Antrim DUP Alderman John Smyth quipped:

“I look forward to the opening ceremony.”

The PEACEPLUS Programme is a €1.1bn cross-border funding programme created to “strengthen peace and prosperity within and between the border counties of Ireland and Northern Ireland”.

Overall, the council has secured £4.4m to deliver programmes and projects locally until December 2028.

A report to the Operations Committee said that Our Active Borough will consist of “mainstream” sport – inclusive football, rugby, GAA, cricket with club/school engagement and volunteer development.

It stated the aim is to deliver introductory sessions  with a strong focus on “building sustainable links” between schools and clubs with every school engaging with at least one local club.

The programme will also consist of urban and open water sports with quarterly events proposed at V36 in Newtownabbey and a new skate park in Antrim as well as summer schemes to promote “inclusive family participation” in outdoor activities such as climbing, archery and water

It will also promote arts, yoga, walking, health outreach with tailored fitness programmes for children and teenagers and a variety of recreational activities, including arts, drama, music, crafts, yoga, and walking for the community as well as inter-generational outdoor environmental activities.

There are also plans to grow produce for food banks in the borough and school-based workshops on topics such as nutrition, mental health, physical activity, and “emotional literacy”.

No additional financial contribution is anticipated from the borough council.

Previously, the initiative saw the creation of one of the UK’s largest skate parks, Skate 100, which opened at the V36 site beside the Valley Leisure Centre  in May 2022.

The facility was developed at a cost of £0.75m, of which £145,882 was provided through the Special European Union Programmes Body and the remainder by match-funding provided by The Executive Office, Northern Ireland and the Department of Rural and Community Development, Ireland.

The 14,000 sq ft facility is suitable for skateboards, scooters, in-line skaters, Parkour and BMX freestyle. At the time, there were calls for a similar skate park in Antrim.