TASK FORCE SET UP TO SAVE LEISURE CENTRE
The future of Fermoy Leisure Centre was high on the agenda at this week’s meeting of the Fermoy Town Council amidst reports that it is losing up to €100,000 per annum. Cllr Pa O’Driscoll put forward a motion that a task force should be set up, which was agreed.
Cllr Seamus Coleman was elected chairman, along with Cllr Aileen Pyne and Cllr Tadhg O’Donovan who will work with the town council and leisure centre management, and will have free reign to explore every avenue in an attempt to make the leisure centre viable.
Cllr O’Driscoll felt that the finances of the leisure centre are one of the major issues facing the Town Council.
Valuable service “Considering that there will be a reduced income from rates, there will undoubtedly be a reduced income from national government and we have committed to paying for the repair of the weir.
"It is imperative that the leisure centre does not run up large deficits such as it has in 2009 and will do in 2010. The leisure centre provides a valuable service to the community but it cannot be allowed to be such a drain on the finances of the town. Lessons must be learned from other public pools but local initiatives must also be devised.
“The setting of the town park could be exploited more and the availability of the pool to the public must be more attractive. I look forward to getting a report back from the task force and giving the leisure centre a bright future,” he said.
LOSING MONEY
Cllr Noel McCarthy added that staff at Fermoy Leisure Centre are doing an excellent job and they deserve credit. He welcomed the introduction of a task force and said that Fermoy Town Council cannot continue to keep haemorrhaging €100k a year.
“Everyone wants a pool but they need to know we won’t be able to keep it is its losing money.”
Cllr Aileen Pyne agreed that the initiatives by the manager of the leisure centre to turn things around must be admired.
“We are so fortunate in Fermoy to have a leisure centre. I would ask Cork County Council to double their contribution to Fermoy Leisure Centre as people from the surrounding areas use it.”
Cllr Pa O’Driscoll agreed and said he would be making a request to Cork County Council to double their contribution.
Published:
Thursday 18th November 5:53pm
