Donegal County Council has been urged to plan for the expansion of the Aura Leisure Centre swimming facilities in Letterkenny to meet the town’s growing population.
The call was made today by Independent Councillor Michael McBride, who said that four 25m lanes are needed in addition to the existing pool.
Members, he said, are struggling to get space to swim when lessons are taking place.
“It’s great to see schools coming in and parents bringing their children in, but there are a lot of members finding it difficult when they go down at a particular time,” Cllr McBride told the meeting of the Letterkenny-Milford Municipal District.
The need for an extension arose at a recent meeting with the management of the Aura.
Cllr McBride also acknowledged the urgent need for a swimming pool in Buncrana, which has been without one for nearly a decade. He emphasised the importance of planning for Letterkenny’s future needs, given the long-standing challenges in securing funding for Buncrana’s pool.
“I wish the people in Buncrana very well, I pass that swimming pool often and the door is closed and it needs a swimming pool,” said Cllr McBride.
On his responsibility to his constituents, he said the MD needs to get its name in the hat for funding too: “It’s our job to provide for the needs of Letterkenny into the future. I will continue to push for the extension.”
A public meeting is taking place in Buncrana tonight after the project lost out in Large Scale Sport Infrastructure Funding last week.
Fianna Fáil councillor Ciaran Brogan said that he felt that the immediate priority for Donegal’s regional development is the Buncrana pool.
“People of Inishowen travel to the Aura, I think it would be their preference, and my preference, that it (Buncrana) gets the go-ahead,” he said.
“As a council, I think the focus will be to develop the pool in Buncrana first. It would be remiss of me to sit here and not try and seek that.”
Sinn Féin Cllr Gerry McMonagle added that Inishowen getting a swimming pool would take some pressure off capacity issues at the Aura.
He pointed out that Buncrana is shovel-ready and waiting on funding, and that the Letterkenny-Milford MD could look at preparing for the following tranche of funding.
“We need to keep it on the agenda, like Councillor Brogan, I would support Buncrana getting their swimming pool,” said Cllr McMonagle, the Cathaoirleach of Letterkenny-Milford.
A statement from Donegal County Council in response to Cllr McBride’s motion said: “The Management Board of Letterkenny Sports Complex Development hold regular meetings with Aura management in relation to the operation of the sports complex at Sallaghraine.
“Discussions can be held in relation to the current capacity of the existing pools on the site and consideration given to the expansion of same having regard to current and future needs.”