L-R Danny Quinn, Chairman of the Meadowlands Community Association is pictured with Richard and Stella Keown with their son Caleb Keown at the unveiling of the new fully accessible wheelchair swing in the Meadowlands Play Park, Downpatrick.

 Newry, Mourne and Down District Council’s Downpatrick Neighbourhood Renewal Section has recently been successful in securing funding through the Department for Communities for the installation of a new fully accessible wheelchair piece of play equipment in the Meadowlands Play Park, Downpatrick.  Accessible play equipment is beneficial to young people with a disability as it helps them to socialise and make new friends.  It can also help develop gross motor skills including balance and co-ordination as well as fine motor skills such as gripping. 

Danny Quinn, Chair of Meadowlands Community Association stated “We are delighted to have received this new piece of play equipment.  Not only will it benefit our local community, but the community as a whole, as this is the first playpark within the old legacy Down District Council area to have this type of swing included. We would like to thank Newry, Mourne and Down District Council for consulting with us throughout the process and to the Department for Communities for providing the funding.”

Access to the swing is only available with the use of a special Radar Key which can be obtained from the Reception at Newry, Mourne and Down District Council Offices, Downshire Civic Centre,  Downpatrick.