Call for Lurgan Park toilets upgrade as two-week fun fair approved
ABC councillors have approved a request from Bell’s Amusement Fun Fair to operate over a period of two weeks in Lurgan Park – and renewed their plea for toilet facilities to be upgraded in the park.
The matter was discussed at Monday night’s (July 22) monthly meeting of the local authority.
The fun fair will take place from September 6 to September 15, and Bell’s Amusements will be charged £220 for each trading day (six days), and £110 for each non-trading day (four days), totalling £1,760.
Bell’s Amusement Fun Fair attraction has operated in Lurgan Park for a two-week period in May/June for the last two years.
The fun fair proposes to operate on Fridays from 5pm to 8pm, and 2pm to 8pm on Saturdays and Sundays. This corresponds with closing times of the park.
This will be a commercial operation. Bell’s Amusements will be charging per ride/game. All licensing requirements will be met, and local residents will be notified. This operation will not impinge on normal park activities.
The amusement fun fair attraction will be subject to the provision of the usual health and safety and insurance approvals.
Cllr Keith Haughian (Sinn Féin, Lurgan DEA) said he would propose the recommendation, however he was anxious to flag up the toilets situation in Lurgan Park: “I’m happy to propose. This item highlights the fact that we have insufficient toilets in Lurgan Park, and this really needs to be looked at again.
“It’s a busy park, the second biggest in Ireland, and here we are, bringing in all these big events, and we have substandard facilities.”
ABC Lord Mayor, Cllr Sarah Duffy (Sinn Féin, Armagh DEA) remarked: “You’re getting lots of nods from across the chamber.”
Alderman Stephen Moutray (DUP, Lurgan DEA) said he shared Cllr Haughian’s views regarding toilet provision: “Happy to echo the words that my colleague has just made so eloquently, and to second the proposal.
“Toilet provision is something that needs to be addressed in Lurgan Park, sooner rather than later. I’ve been down recently and seen the provision that is there, and the staff do as well as they can with the provision that’s provided, but it’s not up to standard.”
François Vincent, Local Democracy Reporter