The Friends of Exploris Trust who have campaigned for the popular aquarium to be re-opened have made a public call. Chairperson of the Trust, Dr Julie Sigwart, said: “The Friends of Explois Trust is dismayed that work has not yet started on the refurbishment of Exploris. This is the main tourist destination in the Upper Ards and we understand funding has been in place for nearly a year.
“Because of inaction, £214k has been lost of the original £914k funding awarded by the Department of the Environment. Exploris was closed in November 2014, before the procurement process had started, and the search for a contractor stalled in January 2015. If the procurement process started again tomorrow there would still be no contractors on site before the autumn. The remaining allocated funds of £700k should be spent within this financial year.
[caption id="attachment_43452" align="alignleft" width="360"]
Closed so far this summer: The Exploris Aquarium in Portaferry.[/caption]
“But without action, this funding could also be lost. And right now this prolonged closure, during the tourist season, is having a significant negative impact on businesses and other tourist attractions in the Ards and elsewhere.
“Ards Borough Council invested significantly in an excellent business case. The funding was agreed by the Northern Ireland Executive and yet it may well disappear completely due to protracted negotiations between local and central government. According to the council’s own findings, effective marketing for Exploris attracted up to 100,000 visitors annually generating up to £3 million of additional income to the surrounding area.”
Dr Sigwart added: “People in Portaferry, Northern Ireland and worldwide, campaigned to keep this unique aquarium and seal sanctuary open. Locals and potential visitors to Exploris are baffled by the closure and lack of progress. One solution is to re-open Exploris now, to capitalise on the summer tourist season, and roll out a programme of improvements starting immediately.”
Jade Berman, Living Seas manager with Ulster Wildlife, said: “ The extended closure of Exploris is a real shame not only to the local economy, but also to visitors from near and far who will not get an opportunity this summer to see up close some of the amazing marine life that can be found in our local seas. It would be wonderful if a way could be found to open it up over the summer months while the tendering process for the renovations is sorted before any more money availability expires.”
A spokesperson for Ards and North Down Borough Council said: “The Department of Environment (DOE) offered Ards Borough Council capital funding of £914K for the refurbishment of the Exploris aquarium, Portaferry, in September 2014 – to be spent in the 2014/15 financial year, ie by the end of March 2015.
“The Council accepted this offer in September 2014 and then carried out a procurement exercise to appoint a contractor to undertake the refurbishment. This concluded in January 2015. Unfortunately no satisfactory bids were received.
“At that time Ards Borough Council sought clarity around whether the full funding would be available in the 2015/16 financial year. In March 2015 the DOE confirmed that £700K of funding remains available in 2015/16.
“Ards and North Down Borough Council, which took over the mantel for Exploris from the previous legacy Council of Ards Borough Council, remains committed to the Exploris facility and has both written to, and met with, Minster Durkan and asked him to consider reinstating the amount to match the £914K offered in September 2014. We are in regular contact with the DOE as we await a response.
“The Council has commissioned a review of Exploris to help identify the best options for future operation and potential development for the facility and its immediate environs. This will be presented to the Council in early summer.
“The Council remains committed to completing the refurbishment of Exploris and ensuring it has a sustainable future. A further update will be available once the Council has considered the options report and received a response from the Minister with regard to the capital funding offer.”
It seems that the discussion about the funding of the Exploris aquarium will go on, and there is always a danger with austerity cuts that the Exploris aquarium will fall into a bureaucratic black hole. But at least the council and the campaigners seem to be agreed that Exploris must at least stay open.
But this seasonal closure is a severe blow to the local traders inn Upper Ards who fear what lies ahead in the longer term.
]]>
