State-of-the-art pool to replace West Cork facility

Plans to refurbish the only public swimming pool in West Cork have been scrapped in favour of plans to build a €5m pool in its place.

Cork County Council announced yesterday it intends to build the new complex in Dunmanway on an adjoining children’s playground and build a new playground in a nearby tennis court.

Councillors were told at a meeting in Clonakilty that the planned facility will feature three pools, including a hydrotherapy pool.

After much consultation, council officials said the age of the existing swimming pool tank made it unfeasible to refurbish and extend.

Instead they will build a new facility, which will also feature a gym.

They also said it made sense to keep the current pool open until the new one is finished.

Meanwhile, the new children’s playground will be opened before work starts on the swimming pool site.

Assistant county manager James Fogarty said that the new complex would be state-of-the-art and highly energy efficient.

Dunmanway-based Cllr Declan Hurley (Ind) said a decision on the swimming pool’s future was most welcome, as “it had been a long time coming”.

Officials said they have already got €3.8m in secured grants for the new swimming pool and were confident they would make up the shortfall.

They also said that they had undertaken a customer survey which showed that people travelled from many other towns and villages in the region to avail of the current facilities, which would bode well for the future.

“We owe it to the people of Dunmanway and West Cork in general to see this to fruition. It will be well received,” said Cllr John O’Sullivan, chairman of the council’s western division.

County council officials said they would provide an estimated timeframe for the project at the next monthly meeting of the western division.