Mercy gym to stay closed but will stay in sports use
THE management of the Mercy College say it will keep its gym suite in sporting use but that it will not re-open as a gym.
Controversy arose when the gym shut at the end of April. The matter was raised by local councillor Declan Bree and it was also raised in the Dáil by Deputy Clare Daly.
Complaints centred on the fact that the Sisters of Mercy received over €1m in funding for the construction of the gym and sports hall conditional on the facilities being made available to the public until 2023.
Department of Transport, Tourism and Sport recently carried out an inspection of the facilities. In a statement issued in the wake of a board of management meeting, the Mercy College said the fitness suite/gym room was part of a much larger sports complex which was funded by grants provided from the National Lottery through the Department.
“One of the criteria for the granting of these funds was that the facility would remain in sporting use for at least 15 years. This has been, and will remain the case. Like many other gyms it has suffered financially in the last number of years. The equipment in it is now over 10 years old and requires substantial capital investment to bring the fitness suite/gym room up to current standards. The capital investment is not currently available and in any event, it is the opinion of the Management Committee that the gym room/ fitness suite is not capable of sustaining the investment necessary to maintain it as a working gym.
“A decision was made in light of this to close the Fitness Suite/Gym Room until an alternative sports use was found for the room. Mercy College confirmed to the Department of Transport, Tourism and Sport “that the school would be keeping the room in sporting use, but not as a gym, for the remainder of the duration of the Deed of Covenant on the property up until 2023.”
“Representatives of the Department inspected the sports facility at our invitation and subsequently confirmed in writing that no breach occurs provided the room is kept in sporting use outside of school hours.
They confirmed it need not be kept as a fitness suite/gym room. The Department agreed that access to the hall and gym room, for external users, could be limited to times outside of school hours.
“The Board of Management of together with the sports hall committee of the facility are currently examining suitable options for alternative sporting use for the room, so as to ensure that it will remain available to external groups in line with the agreed policies and procedures of Mercy College.
“Mercy College management committee will continue to carry out its social and moral obligation to the local communities and to the tax payer.
“We look forward to our continued good working relationship with Sligo All Stars Basketball Club, other external groups and the Department of Transport, Tourism & Sport.”