Buncrana Leisure Centre Committee seeks clarification on funding application

The chair of the Buncrana Community Leisure Centre Committee has said clarification is required on a proposed funding application for the construction of a new swimming pool complex in the town.

The clarification is being sought after Buncrana councillorJack Murray said an application for a new leisure centre can be submitted under an application for the Repowering Buncrana project to enhance the town’s shorefront for which funding is being sought from the Rural Regeneration and Development Fund. Funding of €1.8m has already been granted to the Repowering Buncrana project.

The leisure centre on the town’s shorefront closed in 2015 for renovations but has not reopened since. 

Cllr Murray has received confirmation from the council that the application for funding for that project will now be expanded to include funding for a new leisure centre.

The move came after he raised the issue at November’s meeting of the county council where he called on the local authority to explore all potential avenues of funding for the project.

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He said the council has confirmed that funding for the leisure centre can be sought under the  Rural Regeneration and Development Fund, which will increase the funding application to over €20m.

Design work for the new leisure centre is at an advanced stage and it is hoped that Part 8 planning will be brought before councillors for approval in the autumn, before a submission for funding.

Rosina McLaughlin, chair of the Buncrana Community Leisure Centre Committee, said the committee is seeking clarification from the council on the funding application “about when the money will be applied for and available; and when we can hope to go to tender for the building”.

Cllr Murray said he is very optimistic about the strength of the application.

“This is a massive leap forward,” he said.  “There will be no application in the country that will compete with this,” he said.“Repowering Buncrana is a spectacular project, but I just think it wouldn’t really have its full potential if you have a derelict pool lying beside an enhanced shorefront. So I asked if the pool could be included in this package and the council took that on and they did a huge amount of work and effort and they have confirmed now that it can be done.”