In summer months, families in Derry pass through Brooke Park often. A green haven in the middle of the city centre, it is an incredibly popular destination for families.
However, many residents living nearby to the park often face a dangerous route to cross the road to access the park.
Some parents and residents are now fighting for safer crossing to allow them to enjoy Brooke park without having to worry about the busy roads to cross.
Creggan resident Grainne O'Neill often takes a longer route to Brooke Park to avoid dangerous crossings.
She said: "There are people living opposite the park who cannot access it. Some residents say it is an accident waiting to happen and they are surprised one has not happened already.
"Where possible I would avoid the roads, walking the long way around to avoid crossing the roads. It is dangerous with two young kids. The air quality is also an issue in that area. I would be aware of exposing my kids to car fumes as well as the fast traffic.
"It is not just parents, there are a lot of older people and those with access difficulties living near the park but do not get to take trips to it with fear of not being able to cross the road in time."
Residents held a public meeting and demonstrated on the roads beside Brooke Park to raise awareness around the issue.
Grainne said: " It is encouraging to see progress on the issue, it shows the power of residents and park users. It would be a great thing for the community if safety measures were secured and it would encourage others to take on issues that matter to them.
"In the short term issues around speed need to be addressed. There is discussion around speed limits, crossings, one-way systems. They all still need to be debated and explored to discuss the pros and cons of each.
"In the longer term we need to address air quality in the area. It is a very serious issue and we hope that solving traffic issues will also help in this as well.
"On a practical level, finding solutions will open up access for those who cannot get to the park at the minute. They will get to use the park more often and residents would have the satisfaction that our voices were heard.
"For me, I know I would not have my heart in my mouth every time I cross the road to the park as well which would mean a lot. It would become a lot more of an enjoyable experience and would encourage more people to walk to the park if it was safer."
People Before Profit Councillor Shaun Harkin was among those supporting the residents on their demonstration. As a father of two young boys, Cllr Harkin knows the concerns parents face in crossing safely to get to Brooke Park.
He said: "We love getting into Brooke Park as often as we can. With two young children ourselves we can see how much of a challenge it can be for parents and grandparents to cross the road into the park. The same is true for anyone with mobility difficulties.
"It can feel dangerous at times, especially when the road is busy. Finding a way to make access to the park safer has to be a priority for Department for Infrastructure. There are a number of suggested ways to do this and the Council will now be involved. There's a lot of support for this campaign and that's going to be key to getting something done about safe access and improving air quality."
Councillor Maeve O'Neill has also submitted a motion supporting residents calling for safe access to Brooke Park, which has been backed by Derry City and Strabane District Council.
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