Nenagh leisure centre to open next week
The long-awaited reopening of Nenagh Leisure Centre is to take place next Monday, October 20th.
Closed for several months for an extensive refurbishment project, the reopening of the Dublin Road facility was further delayed by the recent discovery of a leak in the swimming pool.
But Director of Services with Tipperary Co Council Marcus O'Connor this week revealed that the leisure centre will be available for use on Monday. The revamped centre, with its upgraded swimming pool, gym, and associated leisure facilities, will open at 9am; the council will advertise daily opening times on its website.
The new leisure centre was developed as part of a €2.2 million project including the adjacent town park, which opened last Thursday.
Mr O'Connor said it has been heartening to see such large crowds flocking to the park over the last few days. While there may be a certain novelty factor involved, he hoped it would continue to attract large volumes of visitors and said the council is looking at providing additional parking facilities at the site.
Responding to some concerns raised over supervision and antisocial behaviour at the park, Mr O'Connor said the council has staff to visit the site, which would be afforded a greater level of monitoring once the leisure centre opens.
Children should have adult supervision at the park, Mr O'Connor added, saying the council was loathe to fence off the river, another key feature of the site. The district manager said sand was chosen as the preferred surface material for the play areas, alternative options being similar soft surface material such as bark mulch.
The park is open seven days a week from 10am to 4.30pm (October – April); it will have longer opening hours between May and September.
Meanwhile proposed byelaws for the use, operation, protection, regulation and management of the park remain available for inspection at the Civic Offices up until November 7th. They can also be viewed at Nenagh Library and on Tipperary Co Council's website. The byelaws cover a range of issues from animals to prohibited substances and fines for breaching the laws. Anyone wishing to make a submission or observation regarding the byelaws must do so before November 14th.
The leisure centre includes a new jacuzzi, new communal changing village with family changing rooms and a dedicated disabled changing room. There is also a new aerobics studio, which will cater for various classes including spinning, aerobics, step, pilates and other classes where there is a demand.
The extended gym area, which has more than doubled in size, has new extensive gym equipment, some of which caters for those with disabilities. The entire pool area has also been re-tiled.
Cathaoirleach of the Nenagh Municipal District, Cllr Fiona Bonfield, welcomed the opening of the refurbished leisure centre which she stated is eagerly awaited by the people of Nenagh and its hinterland. 'With the refurbished leisure centre and the new town park, Nenagh now has magnificent leisure and recreational facilitie,' Cllr Bonfield said.