All council facilities in Causeway Coast and Glens and Mid Ulster to close on Friday

Due to the extreme nature of weather conditions, Causeway Coast and Glens Borough Council have made the decision to close all Council facilities tomorrow, Friday, January 24.

All harbours and marinas, parks and forests and outdoor play parks, holiday parks and motor home parks and car parks within the Borough will be closed.

All leisure centres within the Borough will be closed.

Outdoor leisure bookings including Ballyreagh Golf Course will be cancelled for Friday and members of the public will be contacted.

Community Centres will be closed.

Flowerfield and Roe Valley Arts Centres will be closed.

Members of the public who have booked events in either location will be contacted.

Town Halls with be closed.

Civic offices located in Coleraine, Ballymoney, Limavady and Ballycastle will be closed for the duration of the day on Friday.

Public toilets will be closed.

Waste – All Household Recycling Centres will be closed on Friday.

Bin collections, street cleansing and bulky collections are suspended, please do not leave out bins on Friday - our staff will endeavour to collect these on Monday.

A council spokesperson said: “We would strongly recommend that members of the public avoid visiting any outdoor sites whether coastal or inland, including beaches and headlands for the duration of the weather warning.

“All sites will reopen on Saturday following safety assessments that will take place after the warning has expired.”

Meanwhile, in Mid Ulster, it is a similar story with council run facilities closed across the district. The public are advised that bin collections will not take place on Friday, January 24. Please do not leave bins kerbside and ensure that they are secured for the period of the warnings. Bins due to be collected on Friday will now be collected on Saturday, January 25 where capacity and road conditions make it possible to do so.

The public are advised that the weather warnings will also have an impact on recycling centres across the Council with all household recycling centres closing on Friday, January 24. Street cleansing across the Council area will also be paused on Friday.

In the interests of health and safety, all Council owned and managed public parks and forest sites, play parks will be closed for the duration of the warnings, and we are advising the public to avoid using open spaces and areas where there are trees. All sites will reopen following safety inspections that will take place after the warnings have expired.

All Council and Registration Offices will be closed. In the event of an emergency regarding a death registration please contact a local undertaker.

The Burnavon Theatre, Hill of The O Neill & Ranfurly House, Seamus Heaney HomePlace, The Bridewell and OM Dark Sky Park and Observatory will be closed.

Council outdoor sports and recreation facilities, including pitches and courts will also be closed on Friday. All scheduled sports activities at outdoor facilities will not go ahead and the Council is liaising with clubs and user groups accordingly.

All Council owned Indoor Leisure Centres will be closed on Friday. The public are asked to be patient as it may take time for facilities to open, and they will only be opened when deemed safe to do so.

Cemeteries will be closed to public access for the duration of the weather warnings. We are asking members of the public to vacate cemeteries as early as possible on Thursday evening to allow staff to complete closing operations. We apologise for the inconvenience this may cause. Routine inspections will be carried out on all Council facilities on Saturday morning prior to them reopening. The public are asked to be patient as it may take time for them to open, and they will only be opened when deemed safe to do so. Householders and businesses across the Council area are also encouraged to take the necessary measures to keep them and their property safe.

An event taking place at The Burnavon Theatre on Friday evening will also no longer take place and staff will contact patrons to make them aware of the cancellation today and tomorrow.

What to expect during the red warning: 

• Flying debris resulting in danger to life.

• Damage to buildings and homes, with roofs blown off and power lines brought down

• Roads, bridges and railway lines closed, with delays and cancellations to bus, train, ferry services and flights

• Power cuts affecting other services, such as mobile phone coverage

• Large waves and beach material being thrown onto coastal roads, sea fronts and homes.

• Dangerous travel/driving conditions with multiple trees likely to fall.

Useful emergency numbers if you need them during the period of the Met Office weather warning:

Emergency Services: 999 or 112

Flooding Incident Line: 0300 2000 100

NI Electricity Networks: 03457 643 643

NI Gas Emergency Service: 0800 002 001

NI Water: 03457 440 088

Housing Executive: 03448 920 901