Write a comment
It seems that a proposed Urban Sports Track planned for beside Newry Leisure Centre will not now happen. Despite Skateboarders campaigning for well over 20 years they, and at this stage their children, still have no facilities in Newry, a city of nearly 30,000 people.
A claim by a Newry Councillor that funding body Special EU Programmes Body (SEUPB) have decided to withdraw funding from the proposed Urban Sports Track project in Newry has been counteracted by the funder, who say it was Newry, Mourne and Down District Council who informed them they wouldn't be able to deliver the project in the Peace IV funding timeframe, which ends 31 December 2023.
The project has been beset by difficulty. In 2018 Council were awarded funding of £318,465 by SEUPB for a BMX track at Derrybeg as part of a larger application. The Derrybeg location was ruled out in 2022 following concerns of residents. The project then morphed into an Urban Sports Park with Council deciding to locate it close to Newry Leisure Centre. A consultation was carried out in July 2022. The project was due to be completed in September 2022 and a request for an extension was made to extend to June 2023 which was approved.
Newry City Councillor Geraldine Kearns said “The decision by SEUPB to withdraw funding for this project, citing concerns about meeting the timeline for the project is deeply disappointing. The recent public consultation showed overwhelming public support for this project to be delivered.
“To withdraw funding for this project will not only deprive the community of a £400,000 investment but also of an excellent facility for the local community."
Her party colleague Aidan Mathers also said “SEUPB needs to urgently reconsider this decision.
“This project would have created a space for people of all backgrounds to safely take part in a sport that has no dedicated facilities in the city.
“In addition, Newry city has received very little funding for capital projects under SEUPB thus far, this latest decision will create further anger and disappointment within the community. We will be writing to SEUPB to request an urgent meeting with them on this issue and to urge them to reconsider this decision.”
A spokesperson for SEUPB said “SEUPB was informed last month by Newry, Mourne and Down District Council that it will be unable to deliver the Urban Sports Track within the timeframe of the Peace IV programme (which ends on December 31st 2023) due to a location change and the need for a consultation to be undertaken for the new site.
"We have made every effort to accommodate the project, including earlier approving an extension to the project to enable the Council to consider a new site when the original site identified was no longer available. We are disappointed that the project will not now be delivered.”
There are proposals for urban sports facilities to be included as part of the new proposed Newry City Park at the Albert Basin, but at this stage it is unknown if that element of the park will be delivered in what council call 'Phase One' of the development which is expected to be complete by May 2027.
