The Coles Monument which has been surrounded by metal fencing for most of the summer
METAL FENCING has surrounded the monument at Cole’s monument in Forthill since before the G8 summit – but the council insists that it is still open to the public.
The monument was closed prior and during the G8 for security reasons, however, is set to undergo repair work in the coming weeks.
“The monument was closed and an exclusion zone around the perimeter of the monument was put in place until the full extent of the deterioration and the remedial action required was determined by a specialist contractor,” said a council spokesman, explaining the metal fencing that has surrounded the monument.
Earlier this week, a local resident contacted the Fermanagh Herald and claimed that he had met a number of tourists leaving the park who said that the couldn’t access the monument.
He also said that he has been up most days, and not seen the monument open.
The council spokesman, however, said that ‘access to the monument is permitted again, however a perimeter exclusion zone around the outside of the monument is still in place’.
The spokesman added: “The repair work to the stonework will commence mid August and continue for some weeks with scaffolding being erected this week to enable this work.”
The monument, which was started in 1845, took twelve years to complete, and was built in memory of Sir G Lowry Cole GCB, is open to the public from 1.30pm to 3pm daily until the end of September.
Independent Councillor, Bernice Swift, said: “It has been unfortunate for some that the monument was closed since before the G8, but so was practically everything else in the county such was the over zealous approach on security matters.
She added: “Even though we are in the middle of a busy tourist season, thankfully the Council has seen fit to address the deterioration of this sad monument ensuring the safety of our general public and all tourists interested in climbing this statue.”
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