ALL-NEW MEMORIAL BEGINS LIFE'CYCLE'
THE new Harry Ferguson Memorial Garden has already been put to wider use, even though it has yet to be formally opened.
The official opening was scheduled for August 16, but while the driving rain and resulting floods failed to put paid to the annual Ferguson celebration event or the unveiling of a statue of the renowned inventor, the opening ceremony itelf did not go ahead.
There was nothing stopping Dromara Cycling Club though, as it adopted the site as a staging post on Thursday night (August 21) before setting off to contest the Ferguson Memorial Cup.
The trophy was sponsored for the club last year by the Harry Ferguson Celebration Committee, who blazed the trail in securing the long-awaited memorial.
The committee's Bill Forsythe said, "The local cycle club have been starting their road trials from Drumlough church car park in the past and the Harry Ferguson Celebration Committee presented them with a first-prize cup which is now known as the Harry Ferguson Memorial Cup.
"The local cycle club requested the use of the new car-park facility in terms of making their events safer and to be more closely connected to the Harry Ferguson association group.
"The Harry Ferguson Celebration Committee are delighted to be associated with Dromara Cycle Club and wish them all the best in the future as they compete from this famous location, the Ferguson Homestead, Growell, Dromore."
The cyclists were the first outside the established fraternity of Ferguson enthusiasts to put the new site to use.
It was fitting though that it earlier hosted last week's combined unveiling and annual Ferguson Tractor Day.
Among those gathered were of course the Harry Ferguson Celebration Committee, their associates in the Midlands Group, representatives of additional sponsors, Lisburn City Council and the Department of Agriculture and Rural Development (European Union) and Harry Ferguson's granddaughter, Sally Flemming, who unveiled the lifesize bronze statue of her grandfather.
The current residents of the nearby Ferguson homestead, Mr. and Mrs. Poots, were due to cut the ribbon, marking the official opening of the memorial garden, but the ceremony was abandoned.
The formal opening will now be rescheduled, but may not take place for some months.
Meanwhile, Lisburn City Council Economic Development Committee chairman, Councillor Allan Ewart, said of the unveiling, "Lisburn City Council is pleased to be associated with the unveiling of this bronze sculpture.
"Artist John Sherlock has done a magnificent job and to him we are grateful. Special mention should also go to the Ferguson Committee without whose drive and ambition this event would not be taking place.
"DARD has also contributed significantly, as have many smaller donors and supporters that are too many to mention."
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Weather for Dromore
Wednesday 23 May 2012
Today
Sunny spells
Temperature: 6 C to 19 C
Wind Speed: 13 mph
Wind direction: South
Tomorrow
Sunny
Temperature: 11 C to 21 C
Wind Speed: 8 mph
Wind direction: South east
