‘Exciting plans’ for progression of Buncrana Leisure Centre

A long-awaited update was given to councillors at this week’s Inishowen Municipal District meeting, at which Donegal Cathaoirleach Colr Jack Murray said the centre ‘is the big issue people want to see resolved.’

Colr Murray said he was aware the centre design was ready to go to public consultation and this needed approval by the Inishowen MD. He pointed out how the next meeting is two months away and he did not want to wait that time to progress the matter, so proposed the process begins.

“We are years behind where we should be. It never should have been closed for so long. I propose we go ahead with public consultation so that people can have their input. It needs to happen as you can’t really overstate how important the leisure centre is to people. We shouldn’t be sending kids to Derry or paying private hotels to get kids’ swimming lessons, which is an important life skill. This is for the whole peninsula and its importance to the community cannot be overstated.” Colr Rena Donaghey seconded the proposal.

Inishowen’s new Chief Executive Brian Cannon confirmed the design team have ‘very exciting proposals for the site and layout of the Leisure centre’ which are just weeks away from being unveiled.“There has been a lot of patience, It has been a long road from when it closed to coming through to having consultants appointed, to bringing proposals to this point and it will be exciting for Buncrana and Inishowen to see proposals for the leisure centre.”