COVID-19 Update - Closure of Facilities 19 March 2020 Coronavirus (COVID-19) Update At a special meeting of council on Wednesday 18th March it was decided, with cross-party support, that the council would close its facilities to the public with immediate effect. FACILITIES TO CLOSE All council play parks will close from 9am on Monday 23rd March until further notice. This is arising from the COVID-19 epidemic and is in line with guidance aimed at reducing the potential for cross infection. Parks: Moira Demesne, Wallace Park, Moat Park, Hillsborough Forest Castlereagh Hills Golf Course Aberdelghy Golf Course Lisburn Market Public toilets Lagan Valley Island Bradford Court Lagan Valley LeisurePlex Dundonald International Ice Bowl Lough Moss Leisure Centre Grove, Glenmore and Kilmakee Activity Centres ISLAND Arts Centre Irish Linen Centre & Lisburn Museum Bridge, Moneyreagh, Enler and Ballyoran Community Centres Visitor Information Centres in Hillsborough and Lisburn. Council football pitches Bowling Greens Dundonald Caravan Park FACILITIES THAT WILL REMAIN OPEN Household Recycling Centres The Cutts, Drumlough and Carryduff recycling centres will operate as normal. Opening hours may be extended but this will be communicated via the council website, Facebook and Twitter. Please note that in advance of visiting the sites your waste should be pre-sorted and where necessary securely bagged. If you or someone in your house either has tested positive for coronavirus (Covid-19) or thinks that they may have it, personal waste (such as used tissues) and disposable cleaning cloths can be stored securely within disposable rubbish bags. These bags should be placed into a second bag, tied securely and kept separate from other waste in the room in which you are self-isolating. Keep these bags aside for at least 72 hours before putting into your usual external black/ grey household waste bin or bringing to the Household Recycling Centre. Allotments BIN COLLECTIONS At this stage household collections of bins will continue as planned. Bins and containers will be emptied as normal. Bookings for bulky household collections will no longer be accepted and so far as possible existing requests will be honoured. Any changes to these service arrangements will be communicated via the council website, Facebook and Twitter. REGISTRATION OF BIRTHS, DEATHS AND MARRIAGES Registration of deaths will continue to operate by appointment only at Lagan Valley Island. Further information is available here. PLANNING FUNCTION The Council will continue to operate its Local Development Plan function and process all counter-representations received to the draft Plan Strategy in accordance with the relevant regulations. Given the current situation, however, representations submitted to the draft Plan Strategy may only be viewed online, and not at the Council’s Civic Headquarters. While the period for receipt of counter-representations closes on Friday 17 April 2020 the Council will retain a degree of flexibility regarding the receipt of any late counter-representation on a case by case basis. Information will be updated here. VITALITY MEMBERSHIP Due to the closure of our leisure facilities all Vitality Memberships will now be suspended. You don’t need to do anything as no money will be debited during this period. All updates will be posted on our Vitality Lisburn Castlereagh Facebook page @vitalitylisburncastlereagh and Vitality Member App. Download App for android here. Download App for IPhone here. GOLF MEMBERSHIP Due to the closure of both Castlereagh Hills Golf Course and Aberdelghy Golf Course, all Golf Memberships will now be suspended. You don’t need to do anything as no money will be debited during this period. All updates will be posted on our websites and social media. EVENTS All events arranged by the council and events hosted in council premises between now and end of June will be postponed. If possible these will be re-arranged at a later date. COMMITTEE MEETINGS All Committee Meetings have been suspended until further notice. Council will meet again at the end of April. HEALTH GUIDANCE Please follow the current public health guidance on the Public Health Agency's website. Look out for family, friends and neighbours who are vulnerable. All updates will be placed on our website, Facebook and Twitter.