Battling for Exploris

Battling for Exploris

2 October 2013

THE proposed closure of the Exploris aquarium in Portaferry will be discussed by the Stormont Executive tomorrow.

Environment Minister Mark Durkan will raise the issue with a number of his ministerial colleagues as the campaign to save the aquarium intensifies.

Mr. Durkan, who has already met with local politicians and trade union officials to discuss Ards Council’s decision to close Northern Ireland’s only aquarium, said he is “sympathetic” to the case being made to secure regional funding for the facility.

The Environment Minister, who is also due to meet with Ards Council officials to discuss the future of the aquarium, has indicated that a cross-departmental approach may be one way forward to provide the regional support Exploris requires to ensure its long term future.

News that senior politicians are to be asked to play a key role in securing the future of the Portaferry aquarium comes in the wake of continuing developments in the campaign to save Exploris.

A new group to spearhead the drive to secure regional funding was set up during a packed public meeting in Portaferry on Monday night, while a new charitable Trust is being established by the Friends of Exploris in a bid to keep it open.

The working group plans to meet weekly and aims to call a second public meeting in Portaferry in six weeks’ time to provide local people with an update on the progress it has made.

The new Trust aims to develop proposals for the aquarium’s future management and operation and will work with the new working group launched on Monday night.

Strangford Assemblyman Kieran McCarthy has secured an adjournment debate on the future of Exploris at Stormont at the start of November, with plans being drawn up for a major demonstration of public support for the aquarium on the day.

Strangford MP Jim Shannon believes Exploris is one of the top 10 visitor attractions in Northern Ireland and that with regional funding and new investment in the facility, it could be included in the top five, securing its long term future.

He told Monday night’s public meeting that five government departments have a key role to play in keeping Exploris open and that consideration should be given to using money raised in Northern Ireland via the plastic bag levy to provide financial support for the Portaferry aquarium.

The latest developments come after the aquarium enjoyed one of its busiest ever weekends last Saturday and Sunday with hundreds of families making their way to Exploris.

A social media campaign to secure the future of the aquarium is also enjoying phenomenal success. A Facebook campaign has secured over 27,000 likes from people across the globe, while two online petitions have been signed by almost 14,000 people.