Ward Park A New Vision Designed by competition 1909 Much loved - - PowerPoint PPT Presentation

Ward Park

A New Vision

• Designed by competition 1909
• Much loved and unique town park
• Famed for its waterfowl and aviaries
• Mix of passive and active recreation
• Gives children first experience
• f wildlife

• Watercourse source in Craigantlet hills
• Ponds act as local flood plain
• Ponds subject to siltation
• Reduction in water depth and quality
• Effect on habitat quality

• Ward park an important ‘green lung’ close to the

centre of Bangor. Trees, water, grassland, flower beds, shrubs.

• Range of tree species, habitat for birds, bats and
• insects. Three ponds aligned along a small river –

Sticklebacks, eels and aquatic animals.

• No water Plants. Reduced Water Quality. Large

numbers of waterfowl. Grassland neatly maintained

• Wildlife & natural environment act 2011 places a

statutory duty on all public bodies to ‘…further any function…’ biodiversity action plan.

• Vision: Make ward park a better place for wildlife &
• people. Give it a more natural feel. Enhance habitats
• Display avian collections in a modern environment
• Examples from Glasgow and London. No current

examples in northern ireland

Taking the 1909 Design into the 21st Century

• Existing inlet silt trap needs to be upgraded
• Ponds need to be de-silted
• Existing pathways constructed in tarmacadam and

beginning to degrade in places

• Existing pond edges and copings in poor repair
• Existing bridge structures/accesses are not DDA

compliant

• Existing tree stock requires enhancement and

safeguarding for the future

• Lack of planting to the pond edges
• Multiple mix of street furniture types including

benches and bins

• Poor street lighting
• Opportunity to enhance/improve and upgrade the

quality/character and finishes of the existing urban park fabric

Zone C - Recreational Zone B - Leisure Zone A – Ecology

Vertical pond edges Water plants absent

Upper Pond – Existing Situation

High flows at times

• Pleasing to the eye
• Static water controlled by weir
• Lacking aquatic plants
• Poor in biodiversity

Middle Pond – Existing Situation

Japanese Knotweed Waterfowl Feeding the ducks

• Fixed Water level
• Hard edges
• Lacking aquatic plants
• Poor biodiversity
• Islands with mature trees
• Abundant waterfowl

lower Pond – Existing Situation

• Fixed Water level
• Hard edges
• Feature stone bridge
• Poor visual links from park entrance
• Inlet to culvert at hamilton road

Existing edges and surfaces In poor condition

Zone C - Enhancing Active Recreation

• Enhancement of park entrance and Creation
• f new informal seating area with potential for

picnic provision

Zone B – Promoting Passive/Leisure Recreation

• Centralisation and consolidation of bird enclosures and

improvement of the pond edge/pathways and introduction of new planting

Zone A – Enhancing Site Ecology

• Integration of wetland planting, shallow water conditions

and remediation of invasive species to create a stronger ecological value to the park