Training sessions for three local swimming clubs were cancelled at South Lake Leisure Centre this week – just months after ABC Council hailed a “from famine to feast” turnaround in lifeguard numbers across its facilities.
Parents arrived at the Craigavon complex on Wednesday evening to find club sessions for Portadown Amateur Swimming Club (PASC), Lurgan Swimming Club (LSC) and Ripples all pulled at short notice due to staff shortages.
In a widely shared post, Portadown parent Clare Kells said it was the first time in three years her children’s club training had been cancelled – and she laid the blame squarely on resourcing at South Lake.
She wrote: “Our involvement started 3 years ago and we have never had a swimming lesson cancelled. Last night we did. Was it because one of our coaches didn’t turn up? No, even though our coaches are unpaid volunteers they showed up…
“Was it because our members, children didn’t show up? No, they had the bags packed with goggles, swimwear, towels and flippers from the night before.
“Was it because parents didn’t bring them? No, parents who already do a lot but they were fully prepared to bring them.
“It was because the South Lake Leisure Centre are currently so understaffed that they could not accommodate the swimming clubs. The three local clubs had their training sessions cancelled.”
Ms Kells said “many disappointed young swimmers” – some of whom had applied for jobs at the centre earlier this year – were left wondering why they had received rejection letters while the pool was now struggling to open for club use.
“Five months ago the leisure centre were recruiting! We had many disappointed young swimmers – keen to take on these roles. They got the dreaded rejection letters. Yet here we are and the leisure centre is short-staffed,” she said.
“I genuinely feel for the people at the front desk, they get the brunt of it… But when push comes to shove who should be taking the brunt?
“Why on earth do we have access to these facilities and yet they can’t be manned?”
She added that coaches had even asked whether they could be trained as lifeguards, or whether staff could be moved from other pools to keep sessions running, but were unsure who to raise solutions with.
“Is this a council issue? If so, explain to me why so many young, eager people got rejection letters and now we are having to close the pool because of lack of staff!
“If you aren’t able to provide lanes for the training then where can our home clubs go?”
Warning of a “much bigger issue” if disruption continues, she said the cancellations could impact children’s physical and mental health as well as preparations for major competitions.
“This doesn’t just affect our young swimmers, those training for national and international competitions… It is the start of a much bigger issue and unless we speak out about it nothing will improve.
“Someone needs to answer – not to me, I am a parent…They need to answer to our young athletes in PASC, LSC and Ripples. Why does their health, mental and physical not matter? Why are we not working hard to support them?”
Her comments come against the backdrop of a major recruitment drive by ABC Council earlier this year, triggered by what officials described pre-Christmas as “considerable pressures” in lifeguard numbers across the borough.
In December, councillors were told that officers would “not compromise on operating the services without the required provision”, a stance which had already led to “minor service disruption” at pools – with South Lake highlighted as the main concern, carrying 26 lifeguard vacancies, equivalent to 44% of its team allocation. Banbridge Leisure Centre was also facing a 24% shortfall.
A report to the council’s community and wellbeing committee in March, however, painted a far more optimistic picture, stating that a January recruitment campaign for leisure attendants had resulted in “over 100 successful candidates”, with just under half already holding a lifeguard qualification.
HR officers, councillors were told at the time, were in the process of offering contracts and hoped to have new staff “in post as soon as possible”.
The same report said a “casual bank of employees” would be formed from those not offered contracts, and that the increased workforce was expected to “create a more robust operation, reducing potential closures and service disruptions and to improve cleanliness and service within the centres”.
Fitness class instructors were also recruited in January following previous cancellations, with officers “expecting to have several contractual and casual positions appointed and in centres shortly”.
This week’s sudden cancellations at South Lake have now prompted parents to question how, in light of those assurances, club training could still be halted due to a lack of staff.
Ms Kells claimed some within the local swimming community had warned months ago that staffing issues could persist.
“Why are you turning a blind eye to an issue some of us foretold months ago?” she asked.
“This problem is not going away, it is only set to get worse. Someone needs to answer because at the minute there is a whole lot of finger pointing!”
Meanwhile, Sinn Féin councillor Sarah Duffy says she has been contacted by a number of “deeply upset” parents following the sudden postponement of additional needs 1-to-1 swimming sessions at Orchard Leisure Centre in Armagh.
“For many children, particularly those with additional needs, these sessions provide vital routine,” said the city councillor. “The abrupt withdrawal of lessons has had a real impact on families who rely on them.
“I have contacted ABC council management seeking urgent answers on why services were suspended, what is being done to address staffing numbers, and when lessons will resume. I will continue pressing for answers and for these important services to be restored as quickly as possible.”
A spokesperson for Armagh City, Banbridge and Craigavon Borough Council said: “We are currently experiencing significant staff shortages across our leisure facilities, which has resulted in the temporary reduction of service at some of our sites.
“Swimming pools require appropriately qualified staffing levels to operate safely, and the safety of our customers and staff is our absolute priority.
“We sincerely apologise for the inconvenience and disappointment this will cause our customers. Our teams are working to restore services as quickly as possible, and we will continue to provide updates through our getactiveabc website, app and social media channels.
“We appreciate the patience and understanding of our customers while we work through these challenges.”
