AFTER raising concerns about its appearance, local councillors have been invited to visit the Clinton Centre in Enniskillen.
The Clinton Centre, located at the end of Belmore Street, had previously been home to an art gallery, cafe and youth hostel, however it had been lying idle for a number of years after closing in 2017.
In January 2020 it was taken over by the peace-building group UISCE (Understanding Ireland Socially Culturally Economically), with plans to establish it as a peace-building campus that would attract students from across the world.
While this plan was slowed by the Covid lockdowns, hitting just months later, these international students have since been coming in recent years.
Staying at the Enniskillen centre, they work on various peacebuilding and cross-border projects, such as the Enniskillen to Sligo Greenway.
However, while UISCE has also been offering classes and hosting some fundraising nights, plans to open the centre to the public as a community space have been slow coming to fruition.
Concerns have also been raised about the centre’s ‘shabby’ appearance currently, including by local councillors.
At the end of January, Fermanagh and Omagh Council chief executive Alison McCullagh wrote to the director of UISCE, Keith McNair, noting councillors had “expressed their concern regarding the appearance and upkeep of the Clinton Centre building.”
Ms McCullagh added the Council wanted Mr McNair to “clarify your future intentions and plans for the building together with details of your current operational programme.”
Mr McNair, pictured left, responded by extending an invite to the councillors and any interested executive staff at the Council to visit the site.
“I will be happy to explore their concerns, as well as to relate and discuss UISCE’s extensive programme of activities,” said Mr McNair.
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