Assurances given 1972 Claudy bombing Memorial will not be relocated after car park works

Nine innocent civilians were killed on Monday, July 31, 1972 in what was one of the worst atrocities of the Troubles when three IRA car bombs exploded - two in Main Street and a third in Church Street. Dozens more were injured that day.

During a progress update on an off-street car parks re-surfacing scheme, DUP Alderman Maurice Devenney expressed concerns on behalf of several families. However, Stephen Gillespie, Director of Business and Culture stated ‘it will remain exactly where it is, in accordance with the families’ wishes’.

Members subsequently approved the additional allocation of £22,516.25 towards the off-street car parks resurfacing scheme for contingencies.

Derry City and Strabane Council Head of Business, Kevin O’Connor, explained that in June 2022, the Council had approved a capital programme to address defects in nine high-priority car parks, with a budget of £330,000 for the completion of the remedial works.

He continued: “Capital development resources carried out inspections including detailed cost assessments for each of the nine car parks, upon review there was sufficient to carry out works in four car parks initially – Shantallow Health Centre car park, Albert Street car park in Castlederg, Townhall Street car park in Newtownstewart and Claudy car park.”

Mr O’Connor stated: “Council needs to go on site with a minimum contingency of £14,581.79 to allow for any unforeseen costs as these are estimates. An additional budget of £22,516.25 is being sought. Should there be any savings, these will be re-allocated to the budget for the next car park scheme.”

Councillors also heard that the Claudy car park option requires the moving of the Claudy Memorial and that officers have worked with the families on the re-design of the space where the memorial is located with designs being developed inhouse.

SDLP Councillor Rory Farrell enquired whether the source of the additional £22,516.25 had been identified and also questioned if there had been ‘any resistance’ from families concerning the Claudy Memorial.

In response to the first question, Mr. O’Connor explained, “The initial £330,000 budget was determined by our in-house capital team during the preliminary survey when the issues were first identified. The £352,000 figure is not an additional amount, but rather a result of a more comprehensive scoping of the work, allowing us to prepare the necessary contract documents.”

Stephen Gillespie, Director of Business and Culture, stated: “I have met with the families on several occasions prior to this to make sure they were informed and to make sure they understood the works, to make sure there they got sketches of what was happening to the space etc. and we will now work this up.

“I’ve kept in constant contact with them either through email or meetings in the evening. So as part of this we will engage with not just a group of stakeholders, we have to engage with all the stakeholders in Claudy to make sure they’re all on board, as we do with all the schemes. Just to assure you that there’s a constant line of communication with the families.”

Alderman Maurice Devenney said: “This last two or three weeks I’ve been contacted by quite a number of people who have concerns around the memorial because people are telling me quite clearly that the memorial should not be removed and sited somewhere else but be kept where it is at or upgraded.”

Mr. Gillespie offered reassurance to Alderman Devenney and the families, stating: “When it says relocation, it’s moving it a few feet and centring it within the car park. It’s staying exactly where it is as per the wishes of the families.

“Just to be absolutely clear Alderman Devenney, there’s no relocation in terms of from the space, there is a movement within the car park of the memorial, and that is all that will all be done in conjunction with the families.”

Members subsequently approved the additional allocation of £22,516.25 towards the off-street car parks resurfacing scheme for contingencies.

Gillian Anderson

Local Democracy Reporter