'Dangerous' park pond to be filled in - council

A POND at Bushmills Millennium Park is to be filled in over drowning fears.

The surface of the pond has become overgrown because of a phosphate problem meaning the edge of the water is hard for park users to see.

There have been fears someone could fall into the pond and drown and now Moyle Council, after a suggestion by Bushmills DUP councillor David McAllister, has agreed to fill it in.

Raising the matter at a recent rates meeting, Council Vice-Chairperson, Cllr Robert McIlroy (DUP), said the Millennium Park pond is an "eyesore" and he said a tidy-up job was needed.

But Cllr McAllister said the pond should be filled in because of the dangers.

"Some child is going to drown in it. You would not know where it begins," he said.

Council officer Kevin McGarry said there was a problem with phosphates in the pond and the Council agreed to fill in the pond.

The problems of weeds blanketing the surface of the pond have been continuing for several years.

In 2004 the issue was raised and a decision was taken to put a fence round the pond but it was damaged and it was possible to access the pond.

At previous meetings councillors said the green vegetation on top of the water could give the impression to a stranger to the park that they were still walking on grass and they could fall into the water.

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