We look at the stories that were making the headlines this week back in 1984
’Murph Cul-de-sac is overlooked
THE tenants of a small Ballymurphy cul-de-sac will be meeting with Housing Executive heads on Tuesday, 7th February, to ask why they have been left out of a comprehensive improvement scheme which has covered the rest of the West Belfast estate.
Kathleen Quinn, a widow and mother-of-five, is the spokesperson for the eight families involved in the housing controversy.
"It's been an awful disappointment for all of us, to watch this refurbishing scheme go by us, especially since we have never been told why we are being left out," she said.
According to Mrs Quinn the householders were informed in early 1981 that their homes would be included in the first phase of a major improvement drive, which was to involve the installation of solid fuel central heating, new windows and fitted kitchens.
These houses are calling out for repair work," said Mrs Quinn, and continued, "the windows are buckled and the rooms are like ice boxes.
"The funny thing is we seem to have been forgotten about when it comes to improvements but not when it comes to rent increases!"
A Housing Executive spokesperson told the Andersonstown News that the concern of local people was appreciated.
"The cul-de-sac of eight houses on the Whiterock Road was due for improvement with a number of Orlit dwellings in a later phase of the Ballymurphy scheme," he said.
"However, the proposed improvement to Orlit homes has been withheld because these dwellings are undergoing structural tests by Executive engineers and it would be unwise, therefore, in the Executive's view, to spend large sums of public money on houses which are still subject to structural examination.
"The homes in the cul-de-sac were built at a later date in the adjacent Ballymurphy estate, but the Executive appreciates the concern of tenants who feel their homes are in need of modernisation. In view of this, a meeting has been arranged between tenants and the Executive early next month which will outline the situation.
"The Executive is now looking at the possibility of preparing a separate scheme to improve the homes in the cul-de-sac in advance of any work on the Orlit dwellings with which they were originally phased."
Uncertain future of Whiterock houses
CONCERN has been expressed this week at the state of six 'red-brick' houses at the top of the Whiterock Road. And Sinn Féin, who are campaigning for the Housing Executive to take rapid action to offset "a constant deterioration" in the state of the houses, are pressing for a full-scale refurbishing scheme to be carried out as soon as possible. Mrs Maureen Bradley, who lives in one of the 100-year-old houses, says they are in need of numerous repairs and improvements.
"Paper is peeling from the walls with the dampness, and the ceiling in the front room had to be replastered when it collapsed because of the damp", she said.
Tenants claim draughts cannot be kept out because of the age of the window frames and doors in the homes. "The whole house is freezing," said Mrs Bradley, "even when I sit at the fire at night I have to wrap a blanket round my shoulders to keep warm." Mrs Bradley accuses the Housing Executive of ignoring lists of repairs she has reported to them and of failing to keep house holders informed about the future of the homes. We want our homes to be brought into line with the other homes in Ballymurphy which have been modernised recently."
Housing Executive press officer, Ivan McGuinness, said that no firm decision had yet been taken on the future of the houses. "The houses were provided with kitchen extensions some years ago and we are now looking at a number of options for them. We are meeting with residents in early February and will continue consultation with them."
Sinn Féin spokesperson in Ballymurphy, Kate McGuinness, said the Housing Executive should "abide by the wishes of those who live in these homes”.
"The Housing Executive are engaging in a deliberate policy of running these houses down so that they can demolish them – despite the fact that the tenants are totally opposed to such a move," she said.
"The situation is the 'redbrick' houses, and in the nearby cul-de-sac shows once again that the Executive's treatment of its West Belfast tenants leaves a lot to be desired."
Editorial: Maysfield blaze
THE tragic loss of six lives in the Maysfield Leisure Centre and the previous fire in Andersonstown Leisure Centre, has caused a flurry of debate at the Belfast City Council.
A rash of proposals have been forthcoming to prevent such a thing happening again and, as usual, the councillors are snapping at one another's heels about who was responsible and what should be done.
It is only proper that this tragedy should cause such concern but we think that the City Council has to be careful not to make too many proposals which in the long run could lessen the effect of the most important ones. There is no doubt that these leisure centres call for a new fire code to be implemented as they are unusual in the sense that they are used by thousands of people of diverse interests, intelligence and moods, and are arguably used for longer periods than any other building in the community, sometimes for as long as 12 hours a day. This must add considerably to the fire risk and we don't think that it is fatalistic to say that it is impossible to completely prevent fires happening in leisure centres.
This is not to say that we should be complacent about fires happening because they can't be prevented, but we think that quick and efficient evacuation must be the No. 1 priority. The very fact that the six people who died in Maysfield were asphyxiated is a damning indictment of the evacuation procedures and the design of the building exits.
Security checks, spot searches and locked doors are all very well, but in the final analysis only an adequate and well-trained staff with specific areas of responsibility for quick evacuation will prevent other Maysfield tragedies.
