Council will be asked to light up Lurgan Park to it to stay open for longer while making it much safer for the public to enjoy.
The Alliance Party will table the motion at the next meeting of full Council at Armagh City, Banbridge and Craigavon Borough Council.
The motion, which will be proposed by Lurgan councillor Peter Lavery and seconded by Lagan River councillor Eóin Tennyson, seeks to ensure the park is safe and can open for longer in winter evenings.
Councillor Lavery said: “Lurgan Park is Northern Ireland’s largest urban park and a huge asset to the town. However, it is forced to close early during winter months which reduces the amount of time members of the public can enjoy the natural, open space.
“This motion is about securing a lighting scheme for the park to ensure the park can open for longer in darker evenings. Runners, cyclists, dog-walkers and so many others stand to benefit from longer opening hours.”
Alliance Councillors Peter Lavery and Eoin Tennyson in Lurgan Park
Councillor Tennyson added: “The early stages of the pandemic brought home the importance of open, accessible outdoor space. Ensuring our parks have well-lit routes is essential to enhance public safety and encourage active lifestyles in winter evenings.
“Indeed, there is demand for lighting schemes across a number of the parks in our Borough. I hope Lurgan Park can serve as a pilot project to deliver cost-efficient and environmentally friendly lighting in our outdoor spaces which can be rolled out more widely.”
