By Lesley Walsh
THE broken heating system which nearly shut down the beleaguered Portaferry Sports Centre has finally been replaced, bringing to an end a four month period of hardship for staff and patrons.
The centre has been plagued by problems which has led to part of the complex being closed to the public. Damage to its main hall floor which was detected three years ago, has still not been repaired due to a protracted disagreement over who is reponsible.
Last September the heating system broke down and again, repairs took some time over a dispute about who should pay for them.
With the repairs to the boiler now complete, local councilor Joe Boyle has welcomed the work but stressed such basic necessities of hot water and heating ‘should be always available’.
The protracted delays in installing the new system would never pass muster with ratepayers outside Portaferry, maintained the SDLP politician.
“To endure such a delay, over four months without a functioning heating system is, and was, wholly unacceptable,” he said.
“I don’t believe any other town or similar facility across Ards and North Down Borough would have to wait four to five months for repairs.
“It was never acceptable that during the winter months, this facility had no heating or hot water available for those using and availing of the facility,” he added.
On the long-running issue of the damaged floor, Mr Boyle said he looked forward to a ‘tighter grip’ being established between the local managers of the building – the council, the St McNissi’s Trust and the Education Authority. Uncertainty over which party was responsible for the repairs necessary to re-open the main hall, alongside funding issues, has led to lengthy delays in getting them underway.
Mr Boyle, who has repeatedly called for action to bring an end to the debacle, stressed: “It is not acceptable to be going around in circles blaming each other and pushing the responsibility for such repairs or maintenance on to each other whilst the users and customers of the facility operate within a sub-standard environment.
“We now need to address the issue of the floor in the main hall of this facility that is operating on two different sets of instructions from the council and the Education Authority.
“Once again, where else in this borough would the users and members of similar facilities have to endure such instructions or not at all criteria?” he asked.
“It’s madness in this day and age and needs to be addressed as a matter of urgency,” he added.
