Leisure centre €2.m funding delay slammed

A four year delay in releasing 2.8m euro funding to Buncrana Community Leisure Centre is making the running of the facility “intolerable,” the “Inish Times” can reveal. Preliminary approval of the money to refurbish and upgrade the centre was granted by Donegal County Council in 2005 pending the appointment of a design team and approval of their submission. Yet, four years later no design team has been appointed – despite numerous applications for the work. Now, Rosina McLaughlin, the centre’s voluntary manager and chairperson of its board of management, has said the situation is “intolerable” and called on the Council to immediately appoint a contractor to carry out the refurbishment work whicih includes the provision of a toddlers’ pool. She said: “Our problem is that everything has to be done through the auspices of the Donegal County Council. They advertised for a design team but despite receiving numerous applications, failed to interview and the position had to be readvertised in 2008. “Again there were many applicants and I was promised that interviews would take place in early 2009. Despite numerous calls and emails to which I have received no reply, this still has not been done. The last email I received told me that someone would be in touch with me shortly, that was on February 19 last.” Ms. McLaughlin added: “The situation is intolerable and it is unbelievable that when a voluntary committee in Buncrana is providing a service to the community that the County Council will continue to hamper progress in this manner. In reality, in almost every other area in Ireland including other parts of Donegal, the total responsibility and vast expense for providing such a facility lies with local government. “Buncrana Leisure Centre provides leisure facilities for a community destroyed by unemployment. We are reaching out to people suffering in the recession with many special offers including reductions in prices for the unemployed, reduced memberships, offering free swims with classes etc. The community needs this facility not only for physical health benefits but also for mental health benefits during these tough times.” Ms. McLaughlin said Donegal County and Buncrana Town Councils’ yearly contributions to the centre were “a drop in the ocean” compared to its running costs. She added: “We run a very tight ship with no unnecessary expenses, I have managed the centre on a voluntary basis for almost 15 years, even our planned 20th birthday celebrations in May were cancelled because of the expense that would be involved.” Stating it “costs a fortune” to keep the centre’s 25 metre pool heated to an acceptable temperature, Ms. McLaughlin said a toddlers’ pool would see heating costs “more than double.” She added: “The installation of a toddlers’ pool would be covered if we could access the funds that were provisionally allocated in 2005.” “I think that to have waited for four years we have been more than patient with the County Council and I am now calling on them to act immediately to interview the applicants and appoint a design team so that we may avail of this allocated funding and provide a facility that our users deserve.” Stating the centre was over 20 years old, Ms. McLaughlin said it now needed to be refurbished and called on the County Council to abolish the water rates charges. She added: “The water charges are a huge drain on our budget. I remind the council members that the centre was provided by the community, which greatly saved public coffers. If we as a voluntary committee are to continue to give our time to maintaining this facility for the community then we need the cooperation of local government. I call on all local representatives to assist us in our efforts to bring this matter to conclusion, to have the water rates charges abolished or to have our subsidy greatly increased to cover these costs. “Buncrana Community Leisure Centre was built for the community by the community, it continues to be maintained largely by the Community, it is time for that these efforts were acknowledged. “It would be a tragedy if the centre closed, swimming is now part of the school curriculum, all the schools that use the centre would have no alternative. We have two very large schools on our doorstep, Scoil Iosagain and Scoil Mhuire; pupils there rely on us, as do the other schools in Inishowen who attend regularly. We cater especially for those with special needs; providing pool and gym facilities for their well-being, socialisation & rehabilitation. The centre is also a tourist attraction, which Buncrana badly needs in the summer. “The centre needs to be refurbished immediately, we need more funding immediately. I call on all election candidates to make this matter a priority. This is not a party matter. It is a community matter. We are a non-denominational, non-political, community organisation providing an unrivalled facility in Inishowen at very little cost to local government.”