'The Three Milewater river winds its way through Newtownabbey, creating a natural haven within a busy urban area. However the river was also natural barrier to people easily accessing facilities in their local area and meaning they had to travel along busy roads to get to shops, community centres, schools etc The challenge was to open up access to this haven to the local community in a sensitive way so that local people could both enjoy this natural escape and also have a safer and more direct route to local facilities.'