A renovated gym in Portlaoise, growing membership and up 1,200 children per week attending swimming lessons were some of the positives that the management of Laois Leisure pointed to during a presentation in Laois County Council this week.
But the need for €300,000 investment in the Portlaoise swimming pool, a grass soccer pitch that remains out of use and the ongoing challenges of the health and leisure industry were also laid bare in a wide-range discussion.
Niamh Campion, the acting chairperson of Laois Leisure, and general manager Sean Quirke attended this month’s meeting of Laois County Council to update councillors on the state of play in the two public leisure centres in the county – Portarlington and Portlaoise.
Following the initial closure of the Portlaoise facility in 2021 – and its subsequent re-opening in 2022 – the two leisure centres are now under the brand of Laois Leisure and managed by Sean Quirke, who was previously the long-serving manager in Portarlington.
They received a €1.7 million loan from Laois County Council to help with remedial repairs and the ongoing running costs and they gave a wide overview of where things now stand.
Accepting that the past couple of years have been a struggle, and there were legacy issues in Portlaoise, Sean Quirke told the meeting that the centre in Portarlington is profitable but that is not the case in Portlaoise where they are operating in a more competitive market.
The moving floor in Portlaoise hasn’t been fully operational since 2018 and will require a €300,000 upgrade. It is hoped that finance for that can come from the sports capital funding scheme.
While the astro-turf pitch in Portlaoise continues to have its certification to host soccer games, it will need €500,000 in the coming years to be replaced. The adjacent grass pitch hasn’t been used by local soccer teams since 2019 and returning it to a pitch, for use by local teams, is the aim, though that may not be in time for next season.
“The swimming pools are the biggest drain on our resources,” he said, “but they are also our biggest income generator.”
A seven-day-a-week operation in both locations, the considerable €300,000 upgrade of the Portlaoise gym has, he said, “put great energy back into Portlaoise and is a source of pride for staff and customers”.
Crucially, the meeting was also told that membership and pay-as-you-go customers are also showing an increase. “That is all to do with the new equipment,” added Quirke.
“Growth is down to the quality of facilities and schedule,” he added. “We have had over 1,200 children per week attend swimming lessons. We’re going to have 40 different school groups in next week.
“Planned improvements will lead to growth and leisure centres like ours have a positive impact in the lives of the community.”
Quirke pointed to the challenge of recruiting and retaining staff, in a sector where the hours are often unsociable, remains considerable.
He also spoke of the ongoing balancing act of providing a public facility at affordable costs, while also having to make the best financial decisions.
A number of councillors then spoke, raising certain issues and questions.
“We are putting a lot of money in but it keeps coming up that it’s not washing its own face,” said Cllr Aisling Moran.
“It seems Portlaoise is in difficulty all the time. It seems to me that since Day 1, Portarlington is making money and can pay its way but Portlaoise can’t.
“We will have to keep putting money in,” said Cllr Caroline Dwane-Stanley. “They are public facilities for our community.
“If we don’t put money in, they will go and the alternative will be all private-owned facilities that won’t be as accommodating to the public and to schools groups.
“If I see them going down the tubes, I’ll be out marching.”
“I would like to see them making a profit but they are community-based public facilities providing a great service. Without them we’d be lost,” said Cllr Paschal McEvoy.
“Sean is a good manager. Portlaoise was closed. Now Sean is managing our two leisure centres. Sometimes he has to make hard decisions, that’s part of being a manager. There has to be a boss.”
Laois County Council CEO Michael Rainey said that the council are “fully behind” the leisure centres.
“You talk about quality of life – these are a huge part of that.
“There is good governance there and that give us confidence. The €1.7 million loan is a significant lump of money and it is important that that money is well spent. There are a few issues but there is a lot of support and overall it’s really positive.”
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