Wednesday 5th September – Plans for a Northern Ireland Olympic Watersports Centre in Portadown edged a step nearer today after Sports Minister Edwin Poots MLA confirmed the town’s bid will be moving forward to the second stage of the competition.
Portadown’s proposal is one of fifteen of the 27 projects assessed by Sport Northern Ireland under the Elite Facilities Capital Programme to proceed to stage two of the competition. The town will have three months to prepare an additional outline business case. A final selection process will then take place and those successful will be invited to proceed to the construction stage.
Brian Walker, Chairman of Portadown 2000, commented: “We are of course very pleased to move forward to the next round after such widespread support for what we know is a unique project..."
Chairman of the Leisure Services Committee, Craigavon Borough Council, Cllr. Dolores Kelly, MLA comments: “Council is delighted that our joint bid for the Northern Ireland Olympic Watersports Centre has got through to the second stage of bidding..."
Full Press Release05 Sep 2007 Stage One Approval