Swimmers concerned they won’t get hut for the winter
A group of Bray sea swimmers is concerned that they may not get the use of a lifeguard hut for changing in this winter.
The ‘Na Snamhini’ swimmers have had the use of a Wicklow County Council owned hut for the past two winters.
They recently wrote to Bray Municipal District asking for a second hut but received a reply informing them that a water safety assessment is being carried out on the beach and any decision at all has been deferred.
A representative of the council said yesterday that there have been a number of water safety incidents over the past year on Bray Beach
‘Bray Municipal District has requested that a safety and risk assessment be carried out on the beach by Irish Water Safety. Until we receive the assessment report, the council will defer its decision on providing a hut this winter,’ the representative said. ‘Wicklow County Council has a duty of care and can’t assist with this matter pending the assessment report.’
Although asked about the nature of the incidents on the beach, the council representative would not be drawn on the details. However, they said that the incidents in question were not linked to Na Snamhini.
‘For the past two winters the district engineer Liam Bourke has kindly given us the use of one of the huts from October to April,’ said a spokesperson for the year-round swimming group. ‘ This has meant that a significant number of men and women have continued to swim throughout the winter months, as we had this shelter to protect us and our clothes from the elements.’
When Cathaoirleach of Wicklow County Council, Cllr Edward Timmons, contacted Bray Municipal District on behalf of the group, he was told that Irish Water Safety has not given the council a time frame for the assessment.
‘One of our group spoke to a mem- ber of the Water Safety department and was told the report should have no impact on the provision of the huts for the swimmers,’ said the Na Snamhini spokesperson.
The huts were removed from their lifeguard position at 8 a.m. last Saturday morning.
Others to have made representations on behalf of the group include Minister Simon Harris and Cllr Steven Matthews.
‘ The Mission of the Department of Health is to improve the health and well-being of people in Ireland by keeping people healthy,’ said Minister Harris.
‘ The framework Healthy Ireland sets out the Department’s aspirations, which include exercise, socialising, stress reduction, promoting good physical and mental health. No one can doubt that sea swimming is a major contributor to achieving all of these goals, especially in the winter months when people are less inclined to engage in outdoor activities. By their action, Wicklow County Council are not contributing to achieving these goals.
The District Administrator’s Office has said that while there is no final decision regarding the provision of one hut, they do not have funds to provide a secure base for a second hut. The group had requested the use of a second hut because the first one can only accommodate four or five people at a time, and the male swimmers are disinclined to use the hut while the females are using it.
The group said that they very much appreciate having had the use of the hut for the past two years and that it has been a wonderful facility.