Your views on best way forward for the town in the next 12 months

A BMX park was top of the wish list, while other people suggested Lurgan didn’t need any improvements. The vacant Tesco unit in Windsor Avenue was suggested as a prime location for redevelopment and several people suggested traffic system improvements. Here are some of the responses:

Michelle McCullough commented: “We need decent shops back in Lurgan. It’s like a ghost town now. Not even a proper toy shop. All eating houses, bars and pound shops. And a KFC wouldn’t go a miss, and somewhere like a cinema or skateboard and BMX park would be great for the younger generation.”

Kirsty McGrail said: “Need more decent shops. The area around old Tesco has been empty long enough. What happened to this shopping centre we were going to have across from Iceland?”

Stephen Fox added: “That grassy bit beside the car park in Church Walk is a disgrace to look at every day, not maintained or anything, and then the old Tesco. That’s two massive bits of land, why not concentrate on that instead of extending footpaths and planting random trees in the middle of town? Priorities!”

Michelle O’Neill said: “I know when we would visit when our daughter was younger there was so little to do with her. Centrepoint was only open certain days and other than that there wasn’t really anything to do. There also needs to be some sort of acting/drama group for younger people. Something to keep young people from going down the wrong roads through boredom as so many others have before them.”

Dominic J McCann wrote: “Fix the run down houses, put something in places where all the barren land is. Make Craigavon a place that people want to live. And agreeing with something else for younger generation, we have the mountain bike trails around the lakes and we have cycling clubs but a skate park would be welcomed. A new design of the traffic system coming into Lurgan from the Portadown Road and a new design of the system at Asda going into Portadown, whoever designed those systems needs made redundant, it has made the traffic build up ridiculous.”

Bethany Corinne MacGillivray said: “Cinema, skate park, better shops. All that we need is one franchise in the town and more will follow. People forget that Lurgan is a commuter town. There really is nothing here for the commuters or anyone else for that matter. People complain about the youth in this town but they are bored. There’s nothing for adults to do let alone children and teenagers

Barry McClelland commented: “There is already so much for young people to do in the area! YMCA, MADS, mountain bike trails, fantastic parks in Lurgan and all around Craigavon, MUGAs all over Craigavon. Three, yes three leisure centres, in the area. Three libraries and yet people still say there is not enough for young people to do? Maybe show people what is already on their doorstep. BTW most of these activities cost little or nothing so cost cannot be an issue.”

James MacGiolla Muireadhaigh said: “How about getting the level crossing down the Lough Road sorted out!”

Heather McIlwaine said: “Definitely need a BMX park for the teenagers instead of them having to travel to T13 in Belfast which a lot do.”

Caitríona Corr commented: “What’s needed is for people to realise what they have on their doorstep and stop putting it down!”

Meabh O’Neill wrote: “A cinema out in Craigavon. An ice skating rink and a new shopping centre in Lurgan.”

Julie Liggett said: “My kids are never out of Craigavon with drama at MADS and dancing with FADD studios.”

Ashley Wilson said: “Avenue Road play park is terrible. Everywhere else has a new or good one and Avenue Road is totally done. Please help get the word out like there a children’s playgroup there at the community centre and the kids only have two wee swings and one slide. Terrible.”

Mathew O’Hare said: “Mostly it’s down to a lack of confidence. People seem more keen on saying what’s wrong with Lurgan than what’s right with it. It’s a nice town, people that leave it miss it, pine for it, and just get homesick in general. Take that effort put into complaining and make it constructive, Lurgan will look a treat inside a year.”

Naomi Martin said: “More spaces to park and less bloody traffic wardens?”

Christine Knox wrote: “More decent clothes shops, Primark etc, and less food places - the town is full of them! Cinema as well.”

Diane Nelson commented: “We deffo need a BMX park at Banbridge Road side of Lurgan. The kids just want to have fun on their bikes and are constantly being chased from car parks, estates, etc by the police. Would it not be worse if they were torturing the elderly and the residents in the areas they live. I would not allow my sons to go to Craigavon to use the one there and it is pricey to allow him to go to T13. Lurgan Park has five football pitches and at most on a Saturday two maybe three are used. Would it not be better to have a park like Bridges down in Belfast that all communities can enjoy.”