FROM PAUL DUNLOP:

I was the only one who turned up at the meeting last night which was not about the climbing wall but about people's attitudes towards shared space in the city linked to the proposed development by ilex. Anyway, I mentioned climbing as much as I could in the discussions but the meeting was not about getting a new wall built.

More importantly I was able to talk with Ben Corr who now has now received a letter of endorsement from the MCI and copy of the climbing wall facility that the MCI would support. It is the document that I was involved in writing along with the MCI, so at least now he has finally got what he wanted from our national body. The document states we should have regional facility that includes, top-roping, leading and bouldering, it is quite a large wall, that should be fully accessible at all times. I can forward a copy of this later (it is on my work PC) for the club's records and for everyone to know what we are aiming for. I think it would also be a good idea for the club to write a letter agreeing that this proposal would meet the needs of climbing in the NW, can someone do this?

The other news is that DCC's bid for an Olympic training facility for a few sports such as boxing, was unsuccessful, so they are now turning their attention to the new sports centre and the smaller sports in the city, hopefully climbing. The plan is still there to knock down St Columb's park leisure centre and Lisnagalven pool and to build a new one so the climbing wall opportunity is still alive. I'm not sure what is next in terms of what our role is in all of this, but we need to attend any meetings to insure a new wall in part of this facility.

Paul