By 
URGENT assurances are being sought regarding the fate of Strabane’s iconic Pagoda.
It comes after a Freedom of Information request revealed Derry City and Strabane District Council has no concrete plans for the structure, following its removal as part of the forthcoming public realm scheme.
Submitted by Aontú West Tyrone, the FOI confirmed that the Pagoda will be taken down and transported to a council depot – at a cost of £8,500 – when the public realm scheme begins.
According to Aontú, the council’s FOI states only that the Pagoda may be ‘considered’ for a future role in the Canal Basin redevelopment, with no commitment that it will be rebuilt, restored or publicly displayed again.
Speaking this week, Aontú representative Leza Houston said that such an uncertain future for a Strabane landmark is unacceptable.
“The Pagoda is not just a shelter; it is a piece of Strabane’s heart,” she said.
“Generations grew up meeting under it, resting there, taking photos there. It is woven into our local identity.
“To remove it without a guarantee of preservation feels like tearing out a familiar landmark of home.
“Strabane deserves better than a ‘wait and see’ promise.”
Ms Houston said that if public money is being spent to carefully remove the pagoda, then the people of Strabane deserve a firm commitment that it will be protected, restored and put back into meaningful use.
A Pagoda has been situated in Abercorn Square since 1932, since the first iteration was installed as a replacement for the Humphrey Memorial.
That structure was removed in 1968 and the current iteration was built in 1991, near the site of the original.
“Strabane ratepayers cannot afford waste,” Ms Houston continued.
“Removing a well-loved landmark without securing its future risks turning public money into nothing more than a demolition fee.
“People in Strabane are proud of their town. They want development, but not at the cost of their identity. Investing in heritage is not a luxury; it is a duty.”
Leza Houston is now calling for immediate action from the council including a formal public guarantee that the pagoda will be preserved in full; a storage, conservation and monitoring plan to prevent damage, deterioration or loss and a clear timeline for its potential re-use or reinstallation.
She concluded, “Strabane has lost enough over the years; we cannot keep losing the things that make our town unique.
“If it is taken down now, the very least our community deserves is a solid promise that it will rise again.”
