Lucan pool to be open by early summer, says council

The new Lucan swimming pool and leisure centre is expected to open by early summer this year, South Dublin County Council has revealed.

At January’s council meeting, the local authority said it has signed off on a contract with Aura Sports and Leisure Management to manage the long-awaited facility for nine years.

The centre was due to be completed in 2022 but the council said that problems with the contractor and supply chain issues led to several delays.

However, SDCC has confirmed now confirmed that following a procurement process, Lucan Leisure Campus will open in at Griffeen Valley Park later this year.

When completed, the facility will consist of a new public swimming pool, a gym, fitness suites, and a café.

It will also have an indoor sports hall and a dedicated space for Esker Boxing Club, 100 car parking spaces, and over 70 bicycle spaces.

The old leisure centre was shut in August 2021 after it emerged that a new roof and upgrade works were required to bring it up to standard.

Councillors said that although they welcomed the news, some stressed that clubs who previously used the centre long-term should be facilitated.

Local Independent councillor Liona O’Toole said that groups who have expressed interest in using the new facilities should be contacted before the centre is opened.

Labour councillor Joanna Tuffy said that it was “very clear from the outset that this is a public facility” and the it should be operated by a public company.

“I know with the golf club there was an issue with it for a while where people with membership got priority, whereas the whole idea was that it was pay per play, so I feel that must inform whatever agreements,” she said.

The council’s chief executive Daniel McLoughlin said the Lucan facility is a “municipal pool/facility grounded in community usage” and that the nature of the contract or lease “will reflect that”.

He said that further details, such as pricing, transparency and what groups will be granted access to facility will be dealt with “absolute due regard”.

It will be for “broader use of all Lucan,” he said.

According to the council, Aura is an Irish company with over 20 years’ experience managing and operating local authority leisure centres, swimming pools and fitness gyms.

It currently operates 16 facilities throughout Ireland including 10 leisure centres owned by local authorities.