South and East Belfast Sinn Féin -- Building an Ireland of Equals

Sinn Féin working to ensure Belfast City Council and GAA work with Residents to tackle anti-social behaviour

Published: 17 November, 2008

Balmoral Sinn Féin representative Vincent Parker written to requested a meeting with both the GAA and the Belfast City Council Parks Department in order to ensure that both bodies work with residents in the Finaghy Road North/Woodlands Park area to curtail anti-social behaviour in the area.


Vincent Parker wrote to the bodies after attending a meeting with local residents in the area last Thursday, 13th November.


Mr Parker said,

"Last Thursday I attended a meeting of residents from the Finaghy Road North area. High on the agenda of the meeting was the issue of anti-social behaviour in the area, and I was able to update them on the ongoing work and recent successes in dealing with this problem in the area.


"Over the past few months, crowds of young people have been gathering at Woodlands Playing Fields before making their way to Finaghy Crossroads, where they have engaged in violence with other groups of youths.


"Sinn Fein and the Finaghy Crossroads Group have been working together to resolve this issue in the interests of all the residents in the Finaghy area, with the result that the intervention of Sinn Féin activists, members of the local Safer Neighbourhood Project, along with community activists from the unionist community, has seen a notable reduction in the number of such incidents".


Mr Parker concluded,

"However, if we are to resolve this issue on a permanent basis it is essential that the GAA and the Belfast City Council Parks Department, both of whom have some responsibility in relation to Woodlands Playing Fields, work together with local residents to address their concerns in relation to this anti-social activity.


"To ensure that this occurs, I have requested a meeting with the GAA and the Belfast City Council Parks Department. The meeting will bring the residents into the process, to decide on a way forward, regarding the security and access to woodlands pitches".

CRÍOCH

Notes to Editors:

1. The issue of access/security at Woodlands Playing Fields is viewed by the residents as the main problem and a permanent solution to this issue would help alleviate any potential anti-social gatherings in the park.

2. The need to include the GAA and Belfast City Council in the process lies in the fact that the GAA are, at present leasing the Playing Fields and the Belfast City Council Parks Department are ultimately responsible for the Playing Fields.