From the pages of the Down Recorder, December 2, 1975

From the pages of the Down Recorder, December 2, 1975

2 December 2015

DOWNPATRICK — Work has started on a new £400,000 therapy centre/library complex in Downpatrick which will transform the face of Lower Market Street by 1978.

If work runs to schedule a three-storey office block and the town’s new library will front the street, filling the gap between the bus station and Downtown Shopping Centre. Full details of this early Christmas present will be released by the South Eastern Education and Library Board later this month.

The start on the complex means that in 1978 the plan for the site drawn up by the former Down County Council will have been completed. They bought the site from the Ulster Transport Holding Company, who, in turn, took the land over from the Ulster Transport Authority. Then they authorised the building of the shopping centre and the bus station.

Yesterday officials of the South Eastern Education Board were keeping tight-lipped about the library section of the complex, preferring to wait to make their plans known. Officials of the Eastern Heath and Social Services Board — the education board’s partners in the project — were more forthcoming. It is their board which will foot the bill for the major part of the complex.

The office block means that workers in the social services department in the district will move from their present Pound Lane premises. And the new therapy centre — sited behind the office block and library — means that the service can help a greater number of handicapped people in the area with its larger facilities.

KILCLIEF — Weekend speculation that the Northern Ireland Electricity Service had chosen Kilclief as the site for Northern Ireland’s first nuclear power station has not been denied.

A NIES spokesman said he was not in a position to confirm or deny anything regarding the selection of Kilclief as the site. Another site suggested at the weekend was on the shores of Lough Neagh which also has the advantage of large supplies of water needed to cool the power plant.

The spokesman said that more than a dozen sites has been considered for the reactor which is planned to come into operation in the late 1980s.

If the reactor is to be sited at Kilclief, many well known landmarks could disappear. It is thought that the parish church and Kilclief Castle would be victims if the province’s nuclear plant was built on the nearby shoreline.

ANNACLOY — An Annacloy farmer has won the first round of his David v Goliath battle against the Housing Executive. When the Executive’s civil engineer arrived to carry out tests on Hugh King’s two-and-a-half acre field, he found his way blocked by tractors.

The Executive are trying to buy the field on a compulsory purchase order to build houses, but Mr King is refusing to budge. He said: “That field represents over a tenth of my total arable land and I need it for my cattle and pigs. I intend fighting this to the end.” 

Mr King’s neighbours have also taken up the fight against the Executive and members of the Annacloy action committee blocked the entrance to the field. A digger was not allowed in and in the end the Executive’s civil engineer had to admit defeat and and leave.

Police from Downpatrick were called in case of trouble and to ensure that the road alongside the field was not blocked to traffic.

A spokesman for the action committee said: “ This is simply a peaceful protest. We feel that Hugh is being victimised.” 

SEAFORDE — Treacherous black ice not the roads claimed its second victim of the week near Seaforde — only hours after gritting wooers settled their dispute over standby pay with the Department of the Environment. 

The man who died was 46 year-old James Heaney of Newry Street, Kilkeel. He was fatally injured when a minibus in which he and a group of men were travelling to work, crashed through a hedge into a low-lying field after skidding on the road at Drumgooland, Seaforde. His 12 injured workmates were taken to Downe Hospital.

A Lisburn man who crashed into a pole at Ballynahinch Road, Carryduff, on Wednesday after skidding, died from his injuries on Thursday.

BALLYNAHINCH — Ballynahinch parents who collect their children in cars to ensure their safety could well be endangering the lives of the other children at the town’s Croob Park Primary School.

For the job of the lollipop man, who puts the children across the busy Dromore Street thoroughfare, has become much more difficult now that parents insist on parking on either side of the school path entrance.

In fact, some parents blatantly refused to move their cars when asked, with the result that the lollipop man has to be virtually into the middle of the road before approaching motorists can see him.

Ballynahinch councillor Winston Gaskin has contacted the authorities and the local RUC, but as yet has seen no progress in the matter.

CONEY ISLAND — A Scottish fishing vessel was forced on to the beach at Coney Island during gale force winds. The three-man crew of the Catriona fired distress signals about 7.30am on Monday and Coastguard crews from Killough, Ardglass and Portavogie went to the scene to give assistance.

The crew came ashore in an inflatable dinghy and none was reported injured in the incident. Several attempts have been made to refloat the vessel, but so far weather and tide conditio favourable.

KILLYLEAGH — A Killyleagh industrialist’s attack on Down Council’s decision to charge £2.50 per skip load of industrial waste was described as “ridiculous”  by a Killyleagh councillor this week.

The attack came from Mr Liam McDonagh, managing director in Atlantic Tanning Co, who said the charge could impel 250 jobs in his firm. The counter-attack came from Col. Denys Rowan- Hamilton, who said that if the firm needed public money to stay in business it should apply to the Department of Commerce and not the council.

Mr McDonagh’s comments were made in a letter read at this week’s meeting of the council when members heard that Atlantic Tanning were trying to put their factory back on its feet after the trauma of its previous bankruptcy. To them, the council decision “was hard to swallow.”  

Asking councillors to re-open discussion on the dump issue said he found it difficult to understand how councillors could vote on a proposal concerning costs they were voting on.

Col. Rowan Hamilton said the council had no intention of trying to bring Atlantic Tanning to its knees. It was ridiculous to say that by imposing a charge, this was what the council was doing. It is the duty of the industrial company, not only to buy and sell but to dispose of its waste.

ARDGLASS — Ardglass Women’s Institute celebrated the 25th anniversary of its formation at a dinner held in the Ardglass Arms Hotel.

Miss Phil Wallace, president of the branch, welcomed the guest of honour and Federation chairman, Mrs Nan Douglas, Executive member Mrs R Dickson, ten past presidents, and the members and spoke of the history of the Institute over the past 25 years.

Mrs I Crea, secretary, presented a beautifully inscribed hook to the president. The raffle was won by Mrs A Cochrane and the competition was won by Mrs J Henvey.

DRUMANESS — Drumaness Cricket Club held their annual dinner dance in the Millbrook Lodge Hotel, Ballynahinch, when more than 100 members, guests and friends attended. George Gillespie welcomed the guests, Bill Ireland, the Belfast Telegraph journalist, Mrs Ireland, the club president, Mr A Rogan, and his wife.

The highlight of the night was the presentation fo the Qualifying League A trophy by Mr Ireland to Gerry Rodgers, the Drumaness captain. The PJ Rogan Memorial Trophy for the player having the best batting average over the year was presented to Tom Hanna.