FIVE fishing lakes across Fermanagh, where popular walks have already been created, are to have angling facilities installed at a cost of £212,000.
The contract was awarded at Monday night’s meeting of Fermanagh District Council to a Dungannon firm, Quinn Automatic.
While the funding will come, when approved, from the EU, the council have played their part in match funding in the form of processing, administering and supervising the scheme.
The five lakes to benefit are – Lough Barry, near Inishmore; Lough Lea and Lough Narye, both in the Knocks area; Killyfole, just off the main road between Donagh and Roslea, and Unshinagh.
This week, Gerry Knox, the director of technical services, with his right-hand man, Eugene McGrade, Tempo at his side, spoke about the scheme.
“This is the final scheme in the Clones Erne east Blackwater project. W have still a few planning issues to iron out and the council will be taking a decision, once the contract commences, on whether it will be done on a phased basis on the three sites that have been approved, or whether we await for permission on the other two sites and do all five together.”
Eugene explained that the scheme, ‘it has been a complex one’, would see created fishing stands, improved access to the lakes, and car-parking.
“The entire scheme is an exciting one. The first aspect was providing walks at Jenkins Loop, in the Coonian area, in Crocknagrally Forest, and at Carnmore Viewpoint. Jenkins Loop was the first one we did. The walk there extends to 13 kilometres, about 8 miles.”
Mr Knox reported that walkers were already out in their numbers at all three sites.
He added that, while the money, all £220,000 of it, must be spent by 31st March next, he was confident that this deadline would be met.
“Hopefully, we will get planning approval very soon that will allow us to get on with the last two sites. Once completed, basically, it will leave these inland lakes more accessible to local fishermen.”
He added that EU funding approval from SEUPB was needed before the contract could be awarded.
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