Attraction labelled 'white elephant'

Omagh council says it is carrying out a review

A community group in County Tyrone has called on Omagh District Council to review its funding for a local heritage project.

The Omagh West Community group claimed on Friday that the Ulster History Park was a ''white elephant'' which was costing ratepayers more than £500,000 a year.

The park has been open for 10 years.

Paddy Hunter from the group said the money would be better spent on community projects.

"The incoming council should take a review of the whole situation and look at where money could be spent and re-marketed," he said.

Community development

Mr Hunter claimed ratepayers' money was being "thrown after bad money".

"It is not really a success story," he said.

However, Danny McSorley of Omagh District Council said it had led the way in supporting community development in the area.

These two parks together provide a very interesting combination of a museum of settlement and a museum of emigration in Northern Ireland

Danny McSorley

He said while the future of the history park was not in doubt, the council was currently carrying out a financial review of facilities throughout the borough.

"It's about trying to ensure that we are providing value for money for ratepayers - that we are running the park in the best and most effective way and at the same time that the park is contributing to that wider tourism product."

"It is also complementing the work of the other very successful visitor attraction in this area, which is the Ulster American Folk Park.

Funding crisis

"These two parks together provide a very interesting combination of a museum of settlement and a museum of emigration in Northern Ireland," he said.

The history park is located in Omagh

Meanwhile, the Northern Ireland culture minister Michael McGimpsey has said he has serious concerns about the future viability of the Navan visitor centre in County Armagh.

The centre is facing a funding crisis because of low visitor numbers.

Mr McGimpsey said it was not yet clear as to whether or not the centre would close, but that whatever happened the funding problems needed to be addressed.

A spokesman for the Department of Culture, Arts and Leisure said it was concerned about the future viability of the multi-award winning centre.

Last year the centre was damaged by fire and refurbished at a cost of £200,000.