KILLARNEY TOWN Council says it is committed to keeping a controversial swimming pool and sports arena operating, despite the withdrawal of the private company that was managing the facility.
The company, Aura, said it could not afford to continue with the loss-making centre after failing to negotiate financial support from the council. The downturn in tourism in Killarney has been blamed, as well as competition from other pools in the town.
The €16 million facility with a 25-metre pool, which was built with public funding, has been operating for just a year. It was financed through the sale of property and a large loan secured by the town council and was officially opened by Ceann Comhairle John O’Donoghue earlier this year.
Prior to that as minister for arts, sport and tourism he had strongly backed the project despite vocal opposition from some councillors, as well as the local chamber of commerce, which warned it would not be commercially viable because the town already had more than a dozen swimming pools open to the public.
Mr O’Donoghue helped deliver over €5 million in grant aid for the project; further millions were secured by the sale of a town council site to the Office of Public Works as the location for the new headquarters of the Department of Arts, Sport and Tourism, and the council borrowed €3.5 million.
The location of the facility on the eastern industrial side of Killarney, over a mile from the town centre, was also criticised.
In announcing its withdrawal next month, Aura blamed the downturn in tourism in Killarney as well as increased competition from private pools, which had changed their payment procedures to compete with the new pool.
“It is Killarney Town Council’s full intention to keep the Killarney Sports Leisure Centre open and operating. The council are currently examining all options in order to achieve this,” the council statement said yesterday.
“We regret the circumstances whereby Aura felt they could no longer operate the facility. Killarney Town Council has worked with Aura over the past number of months to try and overcome any issues and will continue to work with them to ensure the continued smooth operation and handover of the facility,” the statement said.