OPINION: The devil’s in the detail with Templemore Sports Complex plans

“The athletics community look to have been overlooked in the plans announced for the new sports facilities to replace Templemore Sports Complex.

“These new plans have generally been well received, especially the inclusion of a 50-metre swimming pool but athletics clubs - not just in Derry city but the wider council area – feel overlooked when it comes to providing facilities for what they claim to be the most popular adult participation sport.

“The Waterside Half Marathon is the jewel in the crown of the local running community and has been going more than 40 years. Its capacity has been increased to over 4,000 this year but it will still sell out in a matter of days. No other sports in the Derry & Strabane District Council area even rivals that in terms of adult participation.

“The current Templemore Sports Complex was opened in 1972 and while it was state-of-the-art at the time, it is not unkind to say that it is now well past its best. In addition to the aging structure, in the past few weeks complaints have been made through the media, in particular on Mark Patterson’s daily lunchtime show on BBC Radio Foyle, regarding its state of cleanliness… or lack of same.

“Changing areas both for indoor and outdoor activities are failing, in the opinion of many users, to meet acceptable health standards. Athletes and runners had to wait until late 1994 before the cinder track was upgraded to its present synthetic surface. This followed a deputation from the council along with interested parties making a fact-finding trip to the north east of England to inspect tracks in Gateshead and Jarrow.

“The party, headed by the then Derry City Mayor Annie Courtney and Head of Recreation, Cathal Logue (Snr) was warmly welcomed by their counterparts on Tyneside. Much was learned from visit, not least the Gateshead Borough Council’s policy of adding a little annually to their track facility which at the time was ranked as one of the best in the UK.

“It was accepted that the Gateshead model would also serve Derry City Council well in that after the track surface was installed, there would be an amount set aside every year to add, for instance, a shelter belt of trees, a grandstand incorporating changing rooms and toilets, as well as a warm-up area under the stand and a replacement of the track surface every 10 years.

“However, the only expenditure in the past 30 years has been the addition of a converted container to house (some 15 years or so ago) a now obsolete electronic timing system. There has been no planting of trees to diminish the winds in winter that blow all the way down the Swilly directly from the Arctic, making the location possibly the coldest spot in all the Council area as users would testify.

“The converted container now serves best as a shelter with athletes and coaches frequently seen huddled behind it as protection from the elements.

“What we have now at Templemore is a track surface 20 years past its sell by date, with obvious subsidence on the back straight, and open to all the weather gods throw at the venue. Furthermore, anyone using the track usually has to return to the main building if they require toilet facilities. Heaven help anyone who has to respond urgently to a call of nature!

“The published plans promise a “Renovated Floodlit Running Track” but a careful inspection of the diagram published by Council shows that the main building will encroach on what is now the current home straight of the track and there seems to be no provision for toilet facilities, much less changing rooms and a stand with a warm-up area. Even basic storage capacity for equipment such as landing mats, hurdles, starting blocks, throwing implements etc. is apparently overlooked.

“The blueprint also includes running and walking trails, but it is difficult to see where these are going to be accommodated in the small amount of space remaining after the envisioned astroturf football pitches have been laid.

“The inclusion of the latter also rules out the hosting again of any cross country events such as the national championships held at the venue as recently as November of last year.

“Turning to the plans for the indoor. Bearing in mind that there are only two available indoor tracks in Ireland – in Dublin and Athlone - and there are none in Northern Ireland, there is a golden opportunity for Derry & Strabane to lead the pack here.

"Again, according to the plans, there is provision for an ‘8-court Sports Hall (International Standard Netball & Basketball)’ but it does not specify its proposed dimensions and I believe it would be to miss a trick to not have this large enough to accommodate the markings for an unbanked 200m track with an appropriate surface for needle spikes that would be suitable for other sports as well.

“A basic requirement, especially if it is to host international netball and basketball, would be a spectators’ gallery. There is no mention of this in the plans but there is a provision for squash courts, a sport that seemingly went out of fashion decades ago.

“Whilst the replacement of Templemore Sports Complex is overdue and welcome but the devil is in the detail. The new complex should see us up to 2050 and beyond so it’s important the planners get it right first time and from the published documents, that is far from certain.”