Leisure Centre staff ‘shocked and upset’ at closure of facility
STAFF are “shocked and upset” by the decision to close Lucan Leisure Centre.
News was circulated through the Lucan Leisure Centre website and social media earlier this week that the business will permanently close on Friday, August 27.
On the website, it outlined that all staff and services will transfer across to sister facilities in Tallaght and Clondalkin, with customers set to be invited to try it out or arrange a refund of membership.
Following that, Greg Waters, Facility Manager at Lucan Leisure Centre, signed off a message which was published on the Lucan Leisure Centre Facebook page.
He outlined that staff were informed last Friday, August 20, of a decision by the company to close the site in Griffeen Valley Park.
“I myself was on leave and only had confirmation of this decision on Monday 23rd August, four days in advance of this closure,” the letter reads.
“To say staff are shocked and upset by this decision is a massive understatement and there is little doubt that similar feelings will be experienced by all our members and customers.”
He continued: “Many times the word ‘family’ is used by staff and customers alike and it is upsetting that this sense of family will be lost.”
South Dublin County Council own three centres (Tallaght, Clondalkin and Lucan), but these are independently managed by South County Dublin Leisure Services.
Following the announcement, The Echo approached the council for clarification around the decision to permanently close the business at Lucan Leisure Centre.
It stated that the centre is closing to facilitate urgent structural repairs and other upgrade works.
“The centre, once repaired and upgraded, will form part of a Lucan sports and leisure campus together with the new Lucan swimming pool currently under construction and which will be completed in early 2022,” a spokesperson for the council said.
The council told The Echo that this new campus will be operated by a provider “following an upcoming tender process for the management of the facilities”.
“Works to the adjacent car park that were approved under the Part 8 planning permission for the new swimming pool will also commence imminently,” the council spokesperson continued.
“The closure of the car parking area is to facilitate the safe installation of a gas mains across the site and for works to provide an improved car park for the new sports campus when it opens late in Q1 2022.”
