Excited children crowded into Newry Library on last week to participate in a competition to design a people's park for Newry in Minecraft. The event was organised by Newry 2020, a grassroots initiative to make Newry a better place to live and visit. Over the next two weeks six teams from across the area will compete to design a virtual city park based on the Albert Basin site. The teams will some together again on the 21st to present their vision for a green space, and prizes will be awarded for the best designs.

Pictured in Newry Library  were some of the participants in the Newry 2020 Minecraft competition where teams will design a City Park for the Albert Basin site in Newry. Newry 2020's campaign for a city park has already gained almost 2,500 signatures, as well as the support of many local groups and organisations. The petition can be accessed at http://newry2020.com/petition Photograph: Columba O'Hare
Pictured in Newry Library were some of the participants in the Newry 2020 Minecraft competition where teams will design a City Park for the Albert Basin site in Newry.
Pictured in Newry Library on Saturday were some of the participants in the Newry 2020 Minecraft competition. The competition involves children designing a City Park for the Albert Basin site in Newry. From left: Brian Cleland, Chairperson, Newry 2020; Orlagh McCullagh, Jonny McCullagh, Minecraft guru; Daniel King, Hareth Khan and Padraig McCullagh. Photograph: Columba O'Hare
Pictured in Newry Library on Saturday last were some of the participants in the Newry 2020 Minecraft competition. The competition involves children designing a City Park for the Albert Basin site in Newry. From left: Brian Cleland, Chairperson, Newry 2020; Orlagh McCullagh, Jonny McCullagh, Minecraft guru; Daniel King, Hareth Khan and Padraig McCullagh. Photograph: Columba O'Hare
Newry 2020's campaign for a city park has already gained almost 2,500 signatures, as well as the support of many local groups and organisations. The petition can be accessed at http://newry2020.com/petition Photograph: Columba O'Hare

Brian Cleland, speaking on behalf of Newry 2020, said: "There's an amazing level of enthusiasm among the children. The idea of using Minecraft to design their ideal city park is obviously really exciting to them. From our point of view it's about giving the younger generation a say in how the city is developed. Frankly, we've been blown away by the response we've received to this idea, and we hope to run more events like this in future." 

Newry 2020's campaign for a city park has already gained almost 2,500 signatures, as well as the support of many local groups and organisations. The petition can be accessed at http://newry2020.com/petition