COMHAIRLE CONTAE ÁTHA CLIATH THEAS
SOUTH DUBLIN COUNTY COUNCIL
MEETING OF SOUTH DUBLIN COUNTY COUNCIL
Monday, January 12, 2015
QUESTION NO. 2
QUESTION: Councillor P. Gogarty
To ask the Chief Executive for an update on the Water Leisure Strategy as last reviewed, to list all public pools currently operating in the County and the number of users each year, to list pools proposed but postponed or scrapped in the last 10 years, to outline when the next review of the water leisure strategy is due to take place; and if he will make a statement on the matter?
REPLY:
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 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. In the absence of the re-opening of the Swimming Pool programme and given the revenue funding burden of the existing Leisure Centres the progression of the Lucan Swimming Pool as envisaged is unlikely to occur. As outlined in the Capital Programme the Adamstown SDZ provides for provision of a swimming pool.
A report on the 3 Year Rolling Capital Program 2015-2017 was presented at the December 2014 Council Meeting and makes no provision for a swimming pool in Lucan. The 3 Year Rolling Capital Program is subject to annual review and report to the 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 also significantly declined in recent years. 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 Ltd in managing/maintaining the existing 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 in 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. There are no plans for a review of the Water Leisure Strategy.
POOL USAGE 2011 2012 2013 2014(Jan- Nov)
CLONDALKIN 150,650 153,997 161,656 163,197
TALLAGHT 119,109 128,596 126,202 126,277