No place to play? Call for more facilities for children in Dungannon
UUP Mid Ulster candidate Ian Irwin has called for further investment in Dungannon’s play facilities, raising concerns over the lack of provision in Coolhill and the suitability of Northland Village play park for older children.
DESPITE more than £220,000 being spent on play parks in Dungannon, concerns have been raised that children in some parts of the town are still being left without suitable places to play.
The Coolhill area has been highlighted as a particular concern. Irwin said he believed that at least 30 to 40 children in the area had little more than a basic bricked oval area available to them, while questions have also been raised over the accessibility and suitability of facilities at Northland Village.
Mid Ulster District Council, which maintains around 120 play areas across the district, confirmed the investment in five Dungannon play parks. However, UUP candidate for Mid Ulster Ian Irwin believes further provision is urgently needed to ensure children in all parts of the town have access to safe and enjoyable play spaces.
Council figures show that spending in the Dungannon area has included £49,896.93 on the development of Jacksonville play park, £31,988.50 on an upgrade at Killymerron, £31,968.72 at Ballysaggart, £39,999.94 at Northland Village and £67,493.22 at Milltown.
While acknowledging Mid Ulster District Council’s Five-Year Strategic Plan for play provision, Irwin told the Courier that further action was needed to ensure children across Dungannon have access to safe and enjoyable spaces.
He pointed to Coolhill as an area where he believes there is a particular need for additional facilities, describing the current provision as inadequate for local youngsters.
“There is a clear lack of playing facilities for local children. They have absolutely nothing except what can only be described as a bricked oval area for kids to play in and it’s substandard to say the very least,” he said.
“There’s a clear need in this area for play facilities to keep children entertained, keep children safe and keep morale going.”
He recognised the demands of maintaining the council’s existing network of play parks across Dungannon, but said he hoped the needs of Coolhill would also be addressed.
“I do understand that Mid Ulster Council has a play park strategy and they do already have many play parks in their portfolio to maintain, but you look at areas like this where there’s at least 30-40 children with absolutely nothing to do. There’s a big need here and I do hope the council does address it.”
Irwin also questioned whether Northland Village play park was suitable for all age groups, despite acknowledging the investment made to modernise the facilities and improve the surrounding footpath.
He said that while the upgrades were welcome, the play area did not adequately cater for older children.
He also questioned whether children living in Eastvale Avenue should have to walk through the estate and alongside the main road to reach the facilities at Northland Village.
“There has been recent investment in terms of the footpath from DfI, however, one of the major issues is that neighbouring Eastvale Avenue has quite a lot of children. To expect them to navigate the road and walk to Northland Village, out of earshot and sight of parents, I personally think is irresponsible,” he said.
“The children of Eastvale deserve something similar to Northland Village, if not better.”
Mid Ulster District Council confirmed that its play parks are inspected weekly, with maintenance work scheduled as required. The council also acknowledged that it had received complaints about the condition of play facilities in Dungannon.
Meanwhile, the future of Killymerron play park remains uncertain, with the council confirming that the site will remain fenced off following committee decisions in October 2025 and September 2026 to leave its status unchanged.
Irwin also highlighted the potential for further development at Windmill Wood, suggesting the area could accommodate a new play park alongside additional parking provision to benefit visitors and nearby businesses.
He said efforts were ongoing to secure improvements to the woodland, with the aim of making it a more attractive and accessible space for dog walkers, joggers and families.
The council said a full breakdown of spending on Dungannon’s play parks dating back to 2020 would need to be requested through a Freedom of Information application.