£5m grant is a big step forward for pool

SEPTEMBER 1998

THE government approves preliminary proposals for a new £5 million swimming pool bringing a long-held dream a step nearer reality.

Minister Dermot Ahern announces that his cabinet colleague Jim McDaid approves the proposals which will enable Dundalk urban council to arrange for the preparation of contract documents.

When these are submitted to the Department of Tourism, Sport and Recreation, the council can seek tenders for the work.

Adopted by the council as its ‘millennium project’, a site for a new pool and leisure facility is already earmarked at a former CIE freight depot on St. Alphonsus Road, adjacent to where a new Louth county council headquarters is being constructed.

The proposed facilities include a 25m by 17m pool, toddlers’ pool and jacuzzi, changing rooms, fitness centre, health suite, social area, children’s area and seating accommodation to enable major swimming events be held there.

The latter is perhaps one of the key elements why Minister McDaid’s department takes the project on board, rather than the Department of the Environment which has a limited budget for such schemes.

Dundalk is listed to stage the swimming events should Ireland’s bid be successful to stage the 2003 Special Olympics, bringing 7,000 competitors to the country.

Ireland hopes to beat off strong opposition from Argentina to host the games.

‘I am delighted with this announcement which will allow the planning of this much-needed project to proceed to the next stage,’ remarks Minister Ahern.

‘Dundalk urban district council and its officials must be thanked for pushing this proposal to its present stage.’