THE Waterworks Park in North Belfast is to remain closed 'until further notice', Belfast City Council have said.

The popular local beauty spot has been shut to the public since December 8 after an outbreak of avian influenza, when it is understood up to 16 dead birds were removed from the site.

Distressed park users looked on as swans died slow and agonising deaths in the water and on the banks and there was anger at the failure of the Department of Agriculture and City Hall staff to appear.

Numerous cases of the disease have been discovered regularly across the North by the Department of the Enviornment, Agriculture and Rural Affairs.

A Belfast City Council spokesperson said: “As the Avian flu outbreak continues to be an issue across Northern Ireland, the Waterworks Park will remain closed until further notice.

"We continue to work alongside and seek advice from the Department of Agriculture Environment and Rural Affairs (DAERA) and the Public Health Agency (PHA) in response to this issue.

"It is important to note that the PHA advice remains that the risk to general public health is very low and that human infections with avian influenza are rare.

"We have also engaged an independent expert to review our approach and management plan to dealing with this ongoing issue and we are working with an on-call vet who has been assessing sick and dying birds and, where required, humanely euthanising these birds.

"A contractor has also been employed to remove any deceased birds from the site when required.

"The main species of bird affected at the Waterworks are swans.

"We would ask the public not to visit Waterworks Park at this time as we continue to manage the ongoing situation.” 

Local Sinn Féin Councillor Ryan Murphy called for better public information about the park's closure.

“I’m calling for Belfast City Council to provide the residents of North Belfast and particularly the many people that normally use the Waterworks with information about what is happening with the park and when they expect to reopen it," he said.

“Unfortunately the park was closed earlier this month due to concerning scenes of swans ill and dying due to an outbreak of avian flu.

“However there has been no information provided to local people about this ongoing situation which isn’t really good enough from a public body.

“Already we are hearing park users raise their concerns that the park remains closed to the public simply to end the volume of complaints of inaction to the outbreak in the park.

“If there is action being taken then people deserve to have that clarified, it is not unreasonable to expect updates on the situation as the closure continues into Christmas.

“The Waterworks isn’t just a hub of community life, it is also a main link between the Lower Castle area where many people go to shop at the supermarkets and the Cliftonville and wider Oldpark area.

“For many people during this pandemic the park has been a great location to walk and meet outdoors and the many groups such as the Park Run, the fishermen and the multiple groups that use these facilities the continuing lack of communication is hugely frustrating.

“Far too often we hear people say that this North Belfast park is treated so much worse than other facilities in the city and I’d urge Council officials to engage and communicate with the people of North Belfast.

“I’m confident that most reasonable people would be understanding and patient with council if they were kept informed and hopefully the closure will only last as long as absolutely necessary.”