A popular Derry running track is to undergo 'short-term repairs' in the new year after concerts over the summer months left it in poor condition.
It comes as a report was brought before members of Derry City and Strabane District Council's Health and Community Committee last week following a number of complaints made about the state of the track.
Previously, MyDerry reported how a local Derry Track Club complained about the state of the public facility. Concerns over the condition of the facility began to rise after the Waterside Half Marathon in September.
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A spokesperson for Derry City and Strabane District Council told this publication at the time that "ongoing issues" with drainage at the St Columb's Park running track caused the track to cut up and waterlog.
The council said that work to address the surface damage on the running track would be carried out and it's understood that DCSDC cleaned drains at the site, as well as groundwork at the bottom of the track's driveway entrance.
Meanwhile, an additional £8,500 of ratepayers' money will be spent in January relaying the track's surface due to a "Christmas Trail" event being held at the site in December.
However, Sinn Fein councillor Christopher Jackson said the current solutions "were not addressing the problem" and called for the council to think of "cost-effective" proposals.
He said: "If we're going to carry out remediation works and then normal small-scale events undo that work then what it does is highlight the case for a long-term solution
"I would look forward to that being drawn up, costed, and brought forward to the capital working group. I think us spending ratepayers' money to continuously address the problem isn't cost-effective in the long run.
"The most cost-effective measure is to install adequate drainage and resurface the running track to make it fit for purpose."
Meanwhile, SDLP councillor Brian Tierney said the report was nothing more than a "sticking plaster".
He added: "There is a massive need for us to look at this more urgently than what we expect. I appreciate why [the council] is waiting until after the Christmas Trail [to carry out the works], it makes complete sense, but this work will begin in January and it won't be too long before you're into concert season.
"Before you even have this work started you could have a number of events booked into that particular space, potentially taking place, not too long after we would have spent £8,500. I think it shows there is a massive issue in terms of events space in the city and council district."
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