Post by manuel6b2 on Jan 15, 2011 1:54:46 GMT 1
FROM Down Recorder
THE axe has fallen on Downpatrick’s multi-million pound velodrome.
The result is that Down councillors are “gutted”, ratepayers are left with a £50,000 bill, and plans for a desperately needed new leisure centre are back to square one.
At a committee meeting on Monday, councillors were informed in a letter from Sport NI that central government cuts to the Executive’s sport budget would not allow for the construction of the velodrome or any of its prioritised ‘Elite Facilities’ projects.
The local authority had pinned its hopes — and £50,000 in consultancy fees — on the largely government-funded £14m facility at Inch Abbey Road becoming a cost-effective way of incorporating a new leisure centre and swimming pool for the town.
Sport NI’s Elite Facilities programme aimed to use the 2012 Olympics to tackle the underdevelopment of sport in Northern Ireland.
Following four years of planning, Down Council was informed last April that its bid had reached the third stage of the funding programme and awarded “provisional preferred bidder” status.
A lack of movement in recent months, however, had been concerning local politicians who recently requested an urgent meeting with the Sports Minister Nelson McCausland and Sport NI.
Reacting to the news at Monday’s meeting, Councillor John Doris said he was “shocked” at the decision.
“All along we were encouraged to go ahead with this project,” he said. “I think it is just unacceptable that out of the blue, at this stage, we are told ‘sorry we have no money’.
“The money has to be somewhere and I think we have to have a clear explanation. We are now being shut out of the Olympics.”
Councillor Billy Walker, who paid tribute to the work undertaken by the council officers behind the bid, said: “I think this is a very, very sad day for Down District. We were led to believe this money was ring-fenced.”
Councillor Eddie Rea said the £50,000 spent on consultancy fees was the “tip of the iceberg” considering the number of staff hours devoted to the project.
Councillor Eamonn Mac Con Midhe said that if it wasn’t for delays caused by Belfast City Council, who challenged the rejection of its late velodrome bid in court, they “could safely say building would have been underway”.
Councillor Cadogan Enright, who had disagreed with the location of the velodrome, said the council had been “definitely led up the garden path” but suggested the failure of the project might be a blessing in disguise.
Council chief executive John Dumigan said his priority was to stop any further delays to the building of a new leisure centre in the town.
Director of Recreation Michael Lipsett added: “We are all gutted at this point in time. We have spent four years on this.”
Councillors agreed their aim was to recoup the £50,000 spent on consultancy fees and voted to send a letter to the office of the First and Deputy First Ministers seeking assistance and indicating that they were considering legal redress.
The other Elite Facilities programmes that will not receive funding are Lisburn City Council (volleyball and basketball), Ballyholme Yacht Club (sailing), Antrim Borough Council (athletics), and Wilmar Leisure Ltd. (tennis).
THE axe has fallen on Downpatrick’s multi-million pound velodrome.
The result is that Down councillors are “gutted”, ratepayers are left with a £50,000 bill, and plans for a desperately needed new leisure centre are back to square one.
At a committee meeting on Monday, councillors were informed in a letter from Sport NI that central government cuts to the Executive’s sport budget would not allow for the construction of the velodrome or any of its prioritised ‘Elite Facilities’ projects.
The local authority had pinned its hopes — and £50,000 in consultancy fees — on the largely government-funded £14m facility at Inch Abbey Road becoming a cost-effective way of incorporating a new leisure centre and swimming pool for the town.
Sport NI’s Elite Facilities programme aimed to use the 2012 Olympics to tackle the underdevelopment of sport in Northern Ireland.
Following four years of planning, Down Council was informed last April that its bid had reached the third stage of the funding programme and awarded “provisional preferred bidder” status.
A lack of movement in recent months, however, had been concerning local politicians who recently requested an urgent meeting with the Sports Minister Nelson McCausland and Sport NI.
Reacting to the news at Monday’s meeting, Councillor John Doris said he was “shocked” at the decision.
“All along we were encouraged to go ahead with this project,” he said. “I think it is just unacceptable that out of the blue, at this stage, we are told ‘sorry we have no money’.
“The money has to be somewhere and I think we have to have a clear explanation. We are now being shut out of the Olympics.”
Councillor Billy Walker, who paid tribute to the work undertaken by the council officers behind the bid, said: “I think this is a very, very sad day for Down District. We were led to believe this money was ring-fenced.”
Councillor Eddie Rea said the £50,000 spent on consultancy fees was the “tip of the iceberg” considering the number of staff hours devoted to the project.
Councillor Eamonn Mac Con Midhe said that if it wasn’t for delays caused by Belfast City Council, who challenged the rejection of its late velodrome bid in court, they “could safely say building would have been underway”.
Councillor Cadogan Enright, who had disagreed with the location of the velodrome, said the council had been “definitely led up the garden path” but suggested the failure of the project might be a blessing in disguise.
Council chief executive John Dumigan said his priority was to stop any further delays to the building of a new leisure centre in the town.
Director of Recreation Michael Lipsett added: “We are all gutted at this point in time. We have spent four years on this.”
Councillors agreed their aim was to recoup the £50,000 spent on consultancy fees and voted to send a letter to the office of the First and Deputy First Ministers seeking assistance and indicating that they were considering legal redress.
The other Elite Facilities programmes that will not receive funding are Lisburn City Council (volleyball and basketball), Ballyholme Yacht Club (sailing), Antrim Borough Council (athletics), and Wilmar Leisure Ltd. (tennis).
