Disabled to benefit from €4.5m leisure centre
Final plans for the leisure centre in Dunmanway have been released by Cork County Council, which hopes to have work commence by June and completion by December 2015.
The news was welcomed by Maurice Walsh, chief executive of CoAction, which looks after 470 children and 140 adults in the region.
He said the charity had identified a need some time ago for a hydrotherapy pool and entered into talks with the council’s senior executive architect, Giulia Vallone, about how to incorporate one into the centre.
“It will be available to the people we support and provide them with a lot of benefits. Dunmanway is ideally situated as it is in the centre of West Cork and is also the same town where we have our headquarters for child services,” Mr Walsh said.
Ms Vallone said cantilever hoists would also be incorporated into the plan to enable disabled people access the hydrotherapy pool, which will be able to accommodate eight people at a time.
Initially it has been proposed that the existing swimming pool complex be upgraded, but it was decided to build a totally new facility on an adjoining site which will include a main swimming pool, smaller pools, cafe and gymnasium.
Ms Vallone said a €4m grant had been secured from the Department of Sport and assistant county manager James Fogarty said the county council wouldn’t be found wanting in making up any shortfall.
The senior architect said a scale model of the leisure centre would shortly go on display at the town’s library.
The facility will also have a spectator gallery allowing it to host swimming competitions.
Dunmanway-based Cllr Declan Hurley (Ind) said the centre would be a marvellous facility, not just for people in his town but all over West Cork.
“It will be a catalyst for helping to develop the town further. It will be a turning point for Dunmanway,” Cllr Hurley said.
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