Councillors angry over lack of communication on potential closure of Newry Swimming Pool

News that Newry Swimming Pool is to close for repair has the capacity to disrupt regular users schedules but to-date no information on the closure has been forthcoming from Newry, Mourne and Down District Council. We asked the Council on Monday past for information on the closure but four days later we are still awaiting a reply.

Newry City Councillor Valerie Harte expressed her concern about the lack of communication from the council about the possible works being carried out at the Newry Leisure centre.

The Newry City councillor said “While we acknowledge that these works need to be carried out to address issues such as lifting tiles on the pool floor, we are concerned that this level of work is needed just 7 years after the facility opened

“More concerning is the reported possibility of closing the pool over the Christmas period, and the very short notice that this decision appears to have been taken at. The closure of the pool will have a considerable impact on the service users and workers. 

“We will work with the council to encourage them to carry out these works both promptly and properly so as to minimise the impact on staff and ratepayers and to ensure such large scale and disruptive works are not required again in the near future."

Earlier this month Cllr Gavin Malone said that staff from the Leisure Centre had contacted him on the matter.

"It amazes me as an elected member from the Newry City Area that I have to receive this information from a member of the public. You would have thought that at least all Councillors from Newry City would have received a written or verbal update on this serious matter and what were the causes and remedies.

This closure will have a negative impact on not only the regular users but the private swimming instructors who make a living from the pool, they will have no income for a period of 6/8 weeks including the lead up to Christmas. I will be tabling these matters at a future Council meeting and will update the public in the near future."

Information which will hopefully clarify the matter is to be given at the Active and Health Communities Committee meeting this Monday 21 November in an Agenda item labelled 'Newry Leisure Centre - Swimming Pool.'