Great to see new leisure centre

SIR, — It is heartening to see the progress made in recent weeks on the new leisure centre for Downpatrick.

Long overdue, the quickly rising building must give great optimism to the hundreds of people, many of them children, who continue to use the old facility.

It is a welcome new landmark in the town, further regenerating an area that has already benefited form the development of the modern college building and the thriving retail park across the road.

It is a positive image for the town.

However, just a few miles up the road the Newcastle Centre is a shocking reminder of the further development needed.

I had the misfortune of needing to bring a toddler into the public toilet facilities within the building last week. Past its sell-by date, the building is utterly depressed and grimy.

The council has done such a great job on redeveloping Newcastle, but it must now go one step further and create a new leisure facility in the town for locals and as a further enticement to those who holiday in the area.

Yours etc,

HOPEFUL RATEPAYER,

Name and address supplied.