Pool charge reductions to resolve Leisureland row

Proposals to resolve the bitter dispute between Leisureland management and aquatic clubs are to be pored over by the newly-appointed board of directors.

The proposals for clubs include:

• a reduction of early morning charges from €15 to €10 per lane, per hour
• peak-time charges reduced from €30 to €22.50 per lane, per hour, with a subsidy of €6,750 per annum from the Council
• evening full pool bookings from 8pm to 9pm to Gar Holohanbe reduced from €180 to €120.

Expert consultant Gar Holohan of the Aura Holohan Group – who was appointed as a mediator at the height of the crisis over the swimming pool – made a presentation to city councillors this week.

It was also proposed that the running of swimming lessons be tendered out to interested parties, as lessons take up a lot of time through administrative work for clubs.

Mr Holohan also said a full business review of how Leisureland operates should be undertaken as soon as possible.

He said some clubs have had their membership decimated – Shark, for example, had 200 members in 2013 and now has 49.

“With the reduction in membership income, and the loss of revenue traditionally provided from the swimming lessons operated in Leisureland, the aquatic clubs have come under significant financial pressure over the last 16 months,” he said, adding that it was against this background that the clubs took issue with the previously proposed increase in charges.

For more on this story, see this week’s Galway City Tribune