Possibility Tralee sports centre could partially reopen is being assessed

A meeting was held with the centre's insurance assessor on Monday while a consulting engineer has also been appointed

Tue, 07 Jan, 2025 - 15:13

PJ Browne

Jim Finucane, chairperson of the board of Tralee Sports and Leisure Centre, said the possibility that the complex could be partially reopened is being assessed.

The roof of the centre's main hall, where the Tralee Warriors Super League team play their games, collapsed early on Monday due to an accumulation of snow. There are also two swimming pools, a gym, handball and racquetball courts housed in the centre.

The centre is run by Kerry County Council and the Kerry Education and Training Board. A meeting with their insurance assessor was held on Monday while a consulting engineer has also been appointed.

"We have two pools," Finucane told Radio Kerry .

"They don't seem to be damaged but we're waiting on engineers. There will be a site visit [on Tuesday] to ascertain would it be possible to open part of the complex itself.

"As it seems from outside, I was there most of the day yesterday, both pools seem to be intact, but we don't know if the electrical services, the plumbing services, some of the retaining walls [have been affected]."

Damien Ginty from Kerry County Council and Jim Finucane. chair of Tralee Regional Sports & Leisure Centre, on site. Picture: Domnick Walsh © Eye Focus LTD.

Plans were put in place last year for a large scale redevelopment of the centre, nearing its 50-year anniversary, including the addition of a three lane 25m training pool, a new sports hall, a sport therapy suite and new all-weather playing surfaces. Finucane said the unfortunate circumstances could be used to further enhance the centre.

"I'm a great believer in this: sometimes in the depths of despair... it will give us an opportunity to reconfigure or to reconstruct the facility," said Finucane.

"We will work with the government agencies to ensure that.

"I'm confident that we will have an opportunity to look at the design, the layout of what we can reinstate or restore or even in effect enhance what we've had in the complex itself. It's one of the aspects that we can do.

"I intend to call another board meeting towards the end of this week and update the members. The resources of both the ETB and Kerry County Council are in place here. We're doing all we can. We're trying to expedite it as as quickly as possible so that we have an evaluation, that we have a clear pathway forward from the point of view of, first of all, the insurance claim that will be a significant claim.

"It's going to be a project where every day we will try and move it forward. It's an onerous task in ways but at the same time we're going to drive this thing on and hopefully end up with a facility which again will give everybody in the region something to be proud of."