BY MICHELE CANNING SMITH
A CONTRACTOR has warned Strabane parents that young children are risking their lives by trespassing on the building site which will become the new Holy Cross College.
Children are entering the site at Melmount Road at night, despite the best efforts of the building contractor O Hare & McGovern to secure the perimeter. A ten foot fence has been erected around the site but young people are still managing to gain access.
So deeply concerned is Martin Gallen, of O Hare & McGovern that he has now appealed to parents and local residents through a letter in this week's Strabane Chronicle to assist in keeping the site accident free.
He has also made available his office number so that local people can contact him with information.
A leaflet drop was also underway this week to raise awareness of the dangers on the site.
The contractor is currently in the process of pouring concrete into deep excavations on the site.
Speaking to the Chronicle this week, Martin said, "If a child was to fall into one of these excavations the results could be fatal so we would be grateful for co-operation in keeping the site accident free.
"Since the better weather came in there seems to be an increasing number of incidents.
"The office is being manned from 6.30am until 8pm and we are now considering employing a night watchman to ensure that someone does not come to harm on the site.
"It's just a matter of time before some young fella gets onto the site and has an accident.
In an open letter to the public he said, "I cannot stress how dangerous this is and it concerns me deeply that this is happening despite our best efforts to secure the site.
"I will take this opportunity to ask all of you to help us here by stressing the dangers to local children who enter the site."
Mr Gallen has urged local people to be vigilant and identify the areas where the children are managing to breach the perimeter fence.
He said work is well underway at the Melmount site and he apologised for any inconvenience caused to residents but adds, " I can assure you that this is an unavoidable factor that will eventually lead to greater benefits for the community.
He points out that the site has been plagued with vandalism which has caused delays in the work, including windows being broken in diggers, brickwork spray painted and fireworks thrown.
The contractor said the construction project is the largest of its kind to ever come to Strabane.
"We would like it to serve as an example to other investors looking at Strabane and the better this project runs the better it will be for the entire community of Strabane."
The £10 million school is expected to be completed by July of next year., at which stage St Colman's High School will be demolished.
Linda Gallagher, of Carlton Drive Community Association, has urged young people to heed the warnings issued by the contractor.
She said her group is currently working to provide facilities for the youth in the area in a bid to keep them off the streets.
