Holidays Get Underway With a Splash at Peace Maze
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10th July 2002
The Peace Maze at Castlewellan Forest Park boasts a growing number of unique features that make the Maze a most interesting attraction for local visitors and tourists alike.
The project is part sponsored by Down District Council, in recognition of which Councillor Harvey Bicker, Chairman of the Council, switched on today (July 10) a unique water feature of 19 individual fountains.
The new water feature at Castlewellan is a first for Northern Ireland. The 19 fountains, which can deliver up to 75 gallons of water per minute, have been set into a paved area and operate on a random basis.
“Visitors to the maze will have to navigate their way through the water feature.” explained district forest officer John Watson. “The challenge for visitors will be one of guessing the pattern of the fountains so as to keep their feet dry. As there are 800 different patterns, that will be quite a challenge! Although the jets can be set to go higher, we will keep the fountains running with jets of water that are no more than 12 inches high.”
The water feature is operated courtesy of an electronic eye, built into the maze and has been designed to make maximum use of recycled water. “Water used in the fountains drops
back through a grill and gulley system and into the pumping system,” explained John.
The Peace Maze will be open every day throughout the summer months and entry is free for those visiting Castlewellan Forest Park.
Notes to Editors
1. The £0.5million Peace Maze is the largest permanent hedge maze in the world, and was 75% funded by the European Union under the Special Support Programme for Peace and Reconciliation in Northern Ireland and the Border Counties of Ireland. Down District Council sponsored the construction of one of the bridges.
2. The maze is in Castlewellan Forest Park and managed by the Forest Service, an Agency of the Department of Agriculture and Rural Development (DARD).
3. The project was unveiled by Agriculture Minster Bríd Rodgers in June 2000, and officially opened by the Minister in September 2001.
4. The original concept and Maze design was by Beverley Lear, Lear Associates. The design of the Peace Maze included ideas selected from over 4,000 competition entries involving schools from all over Northern Ireland.
5. Project Management for the project was provided by Construction Service, Central procurement Directorate, Department of Finance and Personnel.
6. The Web site for the project is www.peacemaze.com
7. The Web site for the Forest Service is www.forestserviceni.gov.uk
