Dillon furious with Moira Demesne work

Speaking at Tuesday night’s meeting of Lisburn Council, Alderman Jim Dillon said he was appalled during a recent visit to inspect the work taking place in the village.

Mr Dillon said he has been getting a lot of “flack” and “work men too” from local people and wants “this looked in to immediately”.

“What I saw did not endear the project to me.” he said.

Mr Dillon explained the new granite pavers laid in Main Street are “a mess” and “look awful because of stains from the bonding”, but was told by workers that the granite “will come with weather”.

He said: “They have been washing it for four weeks now and in my opinion this has made it worse.

“They are trying to wash the mess off but it won’t come off as long as pussy is a cat.”

“This is scandalous”, he said. “Not acceptable at all.”

Mr Dillon who takes pride in the fact that Moira village has won several major awards for it’s floral displays over the years, is also furious that rose beds have been “ripped out”.

He explained: “When I asked what would happen to the roses I was told by a Council Officer they would be replanted in the Demesne but it turns out they have been dumped and I am furious about it.”

“They have put in a couple of thousand green plants - Bushwood like and 90% of them are dead and they need re-planted,” he commented.

“The contractor said they were watered but watering these plants with something you would use in a small garden is not good enough - you could spit more water,” he said.

“I asked the foreman when they had been planted and was told April - they should have been planted at the end of February begining of March,” said Mr Dillon.

“I was instrumental in getting these rose bushes planted 20 years ago and now they have ripped the whole thing out. I am demanding they are re-planted and the Demesne is put back into its proper state, he added.

Alderman Allan Ewart, Chairman of the Local Action Group of the Lagan Rural Partnership, and Chairman of the Economic Development Committee at Lisburn City Council, concurred with Mr Dillon saying the problem needed “sorted out as soon as possible”.

The upgrade was originally due to enhance and modernised the Demesne by late summer 2014 but Mr Dillon says he has been told it will “most likely be October”.

The project is being funded by Lisburn City Council’s Lagan Rural Partnership and the Leisure Services Department.