The plunge is taken

It's been political ammunition for over a decade and the cause of lament for most of our Olympic hopefuls, but Ireland finally has a 50-metre swimming pool.

Phase three of the West Wood Fitness Club in Clontarf, Dublin will be officially opened tomorrow and includes Ireland's first Olympic-sized pool - by far the most impressive swimming facility yet developed in the country.

The West Wood club has been the most ambitious venture so far for developer Philip Smyth, who owns a similar club in Leopardstown, and the unveiling of the pool is part of the £9 million facility which first opened last September. The site, which covers some 175,000 square feet, has been developed on entirely reclaimed land adjacent to Fairview Park on the north side of the city.

"This is a milestone in many ways for Irish swimming," said Smyth, who first conceived the West Wood project and has spent the last 16 months bringing it to life. "The country has been waiting for such a pool for a long time, but this facility will also provide water-based activities for all our members."

The Olympic distance pool - which is a depth of four-feet one-inch throughout - is open to all club members and will also be available for the training needs of swimming clubs. It doesn't fulfil competition requirements and also lacks spectator facilities but as a training resource, it will be greatly welcomed by swimmers in and around the city.

It consists of six lanes as well as a children's 25-metre pool alongside. It requires six tons of air-conditioning equipment to keep the facility at the right temperature.

Various Government ministers down through the years have used the lack of an Olympic-sized pool as a pawn in their political agenda. The Clontarf club was one of the original applicants when the Government's commitment to a 50-metre pool finally came to fruition last year. Although it was decided that University of Limerick should be the sight of the first publicly-funded pool, the West Wood club decided it would be in its interest to press ahead with its own plans.

The Limerick facility - which includes a £6 million state investment towards the £9 million cost - is on course to be completed in late Autumn. Also scheduled to be completed as part of the Limerick venture is an £11 million facility for indoor sports.

Tomorrow's opening ceremony will be hosted by former Olympic swimmer Gary O'Toole with the Taoiseach, Bertie Ahern, making the official opening. And as of tomorrow afternoon, the club will be open to all members. Part of the appeal within the facility is that the whole building will be equipped with an under-floor heating system.

Membership to the West Wood club costs £140 and has a monthly fee of £43. The first two phases include extensive gym and fitness facilities, while indoor tennis courts will complete the final phase in the near future. The club already employs 160 people and the entire area is fully wheelchair accessible.

As part of Ireland's successful application for the Special Olympics in April of last year, there is a further Government commitment to build a 50-metre pool in the city. Those Games are scheduled for June of 2003 and, with an expected participation of some 7,000 athletes, will take place in various locations around the city, including Croke Park.

The pool facility - which must be within a certain radius of the city - is part of the estimated £21 million cost to stage the games. Various venues have been considered for that pool, including UCD and Dublin City University. As a result, the country is on course to have three Olympic-sized pools within the next couple of years.

It has been the scourge of most of our Olympic hopefuls for many years that the only access to an Olympic-sized pool was in a foreign country. While this facility still leaves a major gap when it comes to a competition venue, it is sure to go a long way in boosting the training needs of potential championship swimmers.