Council agrees to save Exploris

Council agrees to save Exploris

UNDER threat Exploris aquarium in Portaferry has been saved.

Ards Borough Council has agreed to to accept the NI Executive’s offer of £914K capital funding and up to £120K annual revenue funding to allow the rejuvenation of the aquarium.

At last night's council meeting there was support for the Executive package provided the new North Down and Ards super council gives its approval.

The Mayor of Ards, councillor Philip Smith said he was delighted the Exploris facility will be saved, while reducing the financial burden on the Ards ratepayer.

“Having agreed to formally accept the Executive’s offer of funding Ards Borough Council now urges the new North Down and Ards District Council to meet promptly to discuss and support this decision and keep the aquarium open," he said.

“I am confident that the business plan developed by Ards Borough Council along with the proposed design brief for the rejuvenated facility will create an attractive, informative, fun, and sustainable visitor attraction for the Ards area”.

“Ards Borough Council also calls on Minister Durkan to continue to support the delivery of its business plan through the reinvigoration of the facility by ensuring that capital funding is provided in full”.

Since September last year, the Council has delayed its decision to close the aquarium to give the Executive time to make firm offers of a funding package, to include revenue for the Seal Sanctuary from the Department of the Environment, together with a substantial one-off capital grant of approximately £900,000.  

As outlined in a business case prepared by the Council and submitted to the Executive by the Department of Environment this funding will make the facility a sustainable operation, reducing its running costs from around £500,000 each year to approximately £200,000.