The reopening of Newry swimming pool looks set to take another step forward with “final safety checks” planned for next week.
The local authority had initially set a target of September 2024 to re-open the pool after councillors agreed to close the facility for repairs in March that year.
However the chamber heard on Monday (Feb 17) of growing “public frustration” over repeat failures to meet reopening deadlines at the Newry Leisure Centre (NLC) pool.
Newry Sinn Fein rep, Aidan Mathers said: “I did a Google search before leaving the office tonight, and I was looking at a news report prior to Christmas, of the swimming pool work being completed in December and being reopened in January in a phased approach.
“Following on from a meeting that myself and my colleague Daire Hughes MP had with a council officer and the CEO, it was stated that the works were on track and the pool would reopen in mid-February.
“We are now at that date and I would like an update on that.”
He added: “Are we looking at February…March.. you know cause I am getting this daily, not a day goes passed that I am not contacted by people. We need to give people some sort of idea of the opening date.
“Communication is key in all of this and we have to have something to tell the public.”
The swimming pool area of NLC has been closed since late February 2024 due to an issue with the hydraulic system of its moving floor.
NMDDC recently published improvement statistics showing the number of actual attendances in NLC before the pool closed (2023-24) was 331, 546.
The council released improvement targets in June 2024, when it forecast almost one million visitors to its leisure facilities in the district.
Council CEO Maire Ward suggested the financial impact of the pool closure would need to be monitored with the deadline date of September still at hand.
In chambers, a council officer responded: “There has been very good progress over the last number of weeks. It has been a very significant piece of work.
“The majority of the works have been completed. The main pool has been filled and the learner pool will be by the end of this week, then we are going through final safety checks next week.”
He added: “The frustration of the public is well felt and recognised, absolutely.
“But we need to be very cognisant of the final safety checks and quality control of the work that has been delivered to ensure the pool is opened and remains so. We don’t want to be and will not be in a situation where we have to close the pool again.
“We will be putting out an update later this week and would welcome councillors down for a site visit.
“We have more meetings with contractors this week, a number of things need to take place and it is dependent on those taking place this week such as lighting and the final clean down scheduled for early next week.”
