The People's Park
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History of the People’s Park:
One of the earliest recorded references to the People’s Park in Ballymena was in an editorial in the Ballymena Observer on Saturday 9th June 1860. This article made the case for the creation of a new public park.
“We earnestly desire to see a People’s Park - at a convenient and healthy pleasure ground - provided for the community of Ballymena. We believe there is no town in Ireland where such an establishment is more urgently required, or where it would be more highly appreciated by the people; and we are not without hope that, at no very distant day, this desire will be amply realized.”
“…In point of public accommodation for healthy exercise, Ballymena is already far in the rear of many other towns in the province- it is considerably behind even the neighbouring village of Gracehill.”
A site was also suggested in the article. “On a survey of the adjacent suburbs,
It appears that a suitable and admirable site for such an establishment would be found in lands surrounding the mill-pond at Todd’s Hill”…
Subsequent letters of support to the Ballymena Observer created something of a campaign for a public park and eventually led to the construction of The People’s Park in 1870 on the very site originally suggested in the 1860 article.
Sir Robert Alexander Shafto Adair, who later became Lord Waveney, gave the newly created park to the people of Ballymena. In designing The People’s Park, he made use of the millpond, which was originally formed to service industrial premises near the heart of Ballymena. The original millpond, long known as the ‘Park Dam’, can be seen on the ordnance survey map of 1858 and is believed to have been opened in the late 1830’s. The map shows a treeless site to the north of Ballymena. Also shown on the map is the District National Model School, later known as County Primary, which was built in 1848. It is now known as Ballymena Primary.
Sir Shafto Adair employed 50 labourers and they worked for 6 months to create the park, entirely at his own expense! The 45-acre park was officially opened on Tuesday 9th August 1870.
By the time the ordnance survey map of 1933 was produced, the town had expanded and reached The People’s Park. The layout of the park can be appreciated on this map. The Cottage Hospital, built in 1882, had been added to the site on the southeast corner. The Park Keeper’s Lodge is shown at the main entrance, leading to a straight avenue running from north to south, which bisects the site. The drinking fountain was positioned just inside the gates on the avenue, which runs parallel to one of the streams. The Park Dam covers the eastern side of the southern section; the winding paths, grass and trees of Todd’s Hill fill the southwestern section. The plinth of the statue is shown on the map at the summit of the hill, which it still dominates. The original school is still a haven of youthful activity.
Shelterbelt trees on the high ground to the north and west are shown on the map and pine stands of Scots pine survive today. Several trees from the original planting in the 1870’s can still be seen today in the central portion of the park. The basic layout of the park is as planned by Sir Shafto Adair.
During the 1930’s cinders were laid in part of the northern end of the park dam to create more flat playing space and sometime before the map of 1933 was published, a bowling green was added.
In 1939 Ballymena became a borough and the administrating authority therefore became Ballymena Borough Council.
Hard tennis courts were laid and the park dam was cleaned in the 1950’s. The Ballymena Borough Council’s architect, G H Wilkinson, designed a children’s playground and toilet block in 1960. The playground was innovative, with a sand pit, paddling pool, concrete ship and wooden animals to climb on, all surrounded by planted areas.
In 1971 R. Wesley, of Belfast Corporation Parks’ Department, was commissioned to suggest improvements. These were carried out in 1974 and 1976. An island was created in the park dam, to encourage wildfowl and a look-out platform erected on the west side of the pond. The tennis courts were refurbished and 2 new ones added.
A crazy golf course added and two 18-hole putting greens were also put into place.
By 1978 streetlights were installed on the central path. The lodge lost most of its garden in 1986 for a car park.
In 1953 entrance gates were erected to improve security. In the same year, a tree survey was carried out, when the stock of 440 trees was tagged and mapped. The Cottage Hospital was renovated in 1995, creating a much-improved vista in the southeast corner. This building became the headquarters of the Homefirst Community Trust.
In 1995 Ballymena Borough Council decided to begin a long-term programme of major improvements in the People’s Park. After a widespread campaign to consult the public on what these should entail, a master plan was drawn up by a local firm of landscape architects, then Mauncy Westbury Associates and approved in the autumn of that year.
Phase 1 of the plan was completed in 1997 and included car parking, a floodlit bowling green, 4 flood lit synthetic grass tennis courts, major toddler and junior play facilities, display gardens, picnic areas, a kick-a-bout space, CCTV coverage and amenity lighting. Phase 2 is now complete and includes the Pavilion with all its facilities, new paths and lakeside railings, additional CCTV and amenity lighting, the restoration of the drinking fountain and interpretative signs, illustrating the birds and trees throughout the park.
There are plans to complete the remaining elements of the parks refurbishment. These include proposals to improve the water quality of the park dam, add other recreational facilities and carry out further general improvements.
Phase II refurbishment of the People’s Park reached completion in December 2001. The new Pavilion offers a focal point where parents can sit and relax while their children get close-up views of the ducks and swans from the spacious outside decking around the edge of the dam.
The facilities within the Pavilion include parent and baby facility, male, female and accessible toilets and changing rooms for tennis and bowls.
Upstairs offers a spacious committee room overlooking the park, which is ideal for meetings and birthday parties and a well-equipped kitchen for catering needs.
We also have bouncy castles, which gives the opportunity to have a complete party within the Park grounds.
The Pavilion and play areas are supervised by Park staff which adds to the attraction of the People’s Park. Visitors can purchase souvenirs as a reminder of their visit to the Park and Pavilion.
In 2002 the People’ Park entered the Local Government News Design and won the Urban Green Space category. The People’s Park was also awarded a 5* Loo of the Year 2003, 2004 & 2005 and was a National Category winner in these years also.
Future plans include crazy golf in the Park.
As part of Ballymena’s twinning with Morehead, Kentucky there are long-term plans for the People’s Park to establish a Kentucky-style garden.