Riverside Park

About

A pleasant urban linear walk in the heart of Ballymoney Town in which to enjoy a variety of riverside walks. The majority of the town's 'Highway to Health' route passes through the parkland. The open parkland incorporates the following facilities - Riverside walks, Jubilee play park, trim trail, picnic areas, toilets and car parking. A new cycle path has been developed through the park which is part of the proposed NCN Route 96 from Lough Neagh via Ballymoney to Coleraine.

Riverside Park is a significant feature in Ballymoney and comprises some 40 acres/16 hectares of open parkland in an urban setting. The Ballymoney River flows along the length of Riverside Park and is a key feature which makes the Park a haven for wildlife.

Through sensitive engineering a new river channel was created with specific works to support its native fish population. Specialist biodiversity planting was used to restore the old pond area into a wetland floodplain to tolerate flooding and bring colour, using plants such as purple loosestrife, flag iris, meadow sweet and ragged robin.

A ‘living barrier’ was planted along the river banks to naturalise it using plants like, marsh marigold and devils bit-scabious, creating a home for insect life such as, dragonflies and damselflies.
The woodland areas were also enhanced with plants including, wild garlic, bluebells, snowdrops, miniature daffodils, honeysuckle and red campion, providing a much needed nectar source to our native bumblebees and butterflies, look out for the white-tailed and common carder bumblebees and speckled wood and ringlet butterflies.

In 2015 Riverside Park designated it a Local Nature Reserve (LNR) which was endorsed by the Council for Nature Conservation and the Countryside.

Why not visit this wonderful park and experience the wetland and river biodiversity first hand.

https://www.causewaycoastandglens.gov.uk/uploads/general/Riverside_Park_-_Wetland_species_idenitifcation_.pdf