A TUV Councillor has outspokenly claimed he will not support grants going towards GAA facilities at an Ards peninsula pitch - despite there being no proposal to do so.
At the recent full meeting of Ards and North Down Council, TUV Councillor Stephen Cooper made the protest against any gaelic games facilities being placed at Calhame Park, Cloughey, a council park, and home to Cloughey FC.
It came during a debate over a motion forwarded by SDLP Councillor Joe Boyle, and seconded by UUP Alderman Angus Carson, in which no such proposition was made.
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The original motion states: “That officers bring back a report with reference to the provision of flood lighting and creation of a running track around the council owned facility and home venue to Cloughey FC, located at Calhame Park, Cloughey.”
The Cloughey pitch is also used by Ballyhalbert football club, Portavogie Rangers and Portavogie Rangers Youth Team.
During the full council debate DUP Councillor and Deputy Mayor Robert Adair successfully amended the motion to have the report consider improved access to the pitch and additional parking, after local residents voiced concerns about traffic gridlock in the area during sports events.
But, without any reference to a proposal for gaelic games at the park during the debate, or explanation as to why he opposed such a move, Councillor Cooper made an intervention, addressing council officers.
He said: “I just want to ask something practical. Is this proposal going to be resultant in the actual pitch being extended? The reason I ask - we had this a few years ago, about the provision of GAA sports on the pitch. I just want some clarification on that, because if it is, I would be against this.”
Councillor Cooper did not give any details during the council meeting about any prior suggestions for GAA facilities at the pitch.
Chief Executive Stephen Reid responded: “Just to clarify, and I will read it out - 'Officers bring back a report with reference to the provision of flood lighting and creation of a running track around the council owned facility and home venue to Cloughey FC, located at Calhame Park, Cloughey, incorporating improved access, and additional parking, and concerns of local residents, while enhancing sport facilities for the community of Cloughey'. So there is no reference there to any extension of the pitch.”
Councillor Cooper replied: “I wasn’t asking about the specifics of the proposal, I was asking are there any plans within that facility to extend the pitch to include any GAA sports?”
The official replied: “I suppose I have to refer to my previous reading of it. Councillor Cooper has seen the report, it doesn’t refer to the extension of the pitch. This is a request to officers to bring back a report that relates to flood lighting, a running track and parking. It doesn’t refer to any other sports.”
The TUV Councillor said: “I just want it put on record that it is excluding any extension of the pitch.”
Cloughey is one of the fastest growing communities in the borough. At the beginning of this century it was classified as a small village by the Northern Ireland Statistics and Research Agency, that is, having a population between 500 and 1,000 people.
There were 752 people living in the village on the 2001 census, 74.6 percent from a protestant background and 20.5 percent from a catholic background.
By the 2011 census the percent of those residents from a catholic background had risen to 45.14 percent, in a population of 4,337. The upcoming census result is expected to see that trend continue.
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