COMHAIRLE CONTAE ÁTHA CLIATH THEAS
SOUTH DUBLIN COUNTY COUNCIL
MEETING OF SOUTH DUBLIN COUNTY COUNCIL
Monday, December 09, 2013
MOTION NO 6.
MOTION: Councillor E. Tuffy
That noting the Report under Headed Item No.5 at the meeting of the Sports, Recreation and Parks SPC of 10th February 2010 on the Council's Water Leisure Strategy, including the statement that "the remaining elements of the Water Leisure Strategy are the completion of the Swimming Pool Facility in Lucan and the investigation of a joint venture /partnership for the Terenure /Rathfarnham area", this Council confirms its commitment to achieve the complete implementation of its Water Leisure Strategy, and requests the Manager to submit a new application to Government for funding for a Swimming Pool in Lucan, based on previously prepared project plans for a pool to be located adjacent to the Lucan Sports and Leisure Centre, and to develop a proposal, as provided for in the Water Leisure Strategy, for a facility in the Terenure /Rathfarnham area.
REPORT:
The Council's original Water Leisure Strategy was adopted by the Council in March 2000. This Strategy was based on a Consultancy report carried out by Price Waterhouse Coopers who were engaged by the Council for the purpose.
At the meeting of the Strategic Policy Committee on Sport, Recreation Community and Parks held on the 16th November 2005 it was agreed to recommend to the Council that the Water Leisure Strategy be reviewed. This recommendation was approved by the Council at its December Meeting.
The review was carried out in – house and the main approach adopted was to assess progress to date on the implementation of the key recommendations for the provision of swimming pools as contained in the original strategy and to consider ways to advance / re-assess remaining key recommendations.
The completed review was presented to the members of the Strategic Policy Committee on Sport, Recreation, Community and Parks at its Meeting held on the 24th May 2006. One of the recommendations of the Review is the proposal to provide a Public Swimming Pool facility in Lucan on the site identified in the Council's Development Plan.
The SPC recommended that the Review, which had been circulated to all Council Members be presented to the next meeting of the Council for adoption. The review was presented to the Council on the 12th June 2006 and was adopted.
The remaining elements of the Water Leisure Strategy are the completion of swimming pool facilities in Lucan and investigation of a joint venture / partnership for Terenure/Rathfarnham area.
Concept plans for Lucan swimming pool were prepared some time ago but this project has not progressed like many other capital projects due to the lack of the necessary finances. The most recent estimate provided by the County Architect was €10.8m which took account of more competitive pricing due to the major downturn in the Construction Sector.
A report on the 3 Year Rolling Capital Program 2014-2016 was presented at the November 2013 OP&F Meeting and is on the agenda of today's Council Meeting HI 14 refers. As the full funding has not been identified no progress is projected in the medium term and it is not possible to give a timeframe for completion.
The 3 Year Rolling Capital Program is subject to annual review and report to the full Council.
The Government Swimming Pool Grant Scheme administered by The Department of Transport Tourism and Sports has been closed for a considerable period and the Council has no indication that the Government is re-opening same. Grant assistance has been an integral part of the financing of the completed elements of the Water Leisure Strategy. Revenue from Development Contribution receipts has significantly declined and is not expected to recover in the short to medium term. If the Government re-opened the Grant Scheme, the Council would still have a major difficulty in funding the balance. There would have to be certainty regarding the total funding of the project to support the submission of a grant application. Consideration would also have to be given to the consequential implications for the revenue budget resulting from the provision of such a facility. In this regard the financial and operational challenges faced by the Council/South Dublin County Leisure Services in managing/maintaining the exiting water leisure facilities was reported to the Corporate Policy Group at its meeting on 11th November 2013 http://intranet/cmas/documentsview.aspx?id=41494
Likewise the provision of a water leisure facility on terms of identifying a suitable site and working towards the development of a joint venture proposal in Terenure/Rathfarnham area has not progressed having regard to the constraints as outlined in this report.