Membership advisory update as regards the Glenalbyn Pool

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As members will be aware, Dunlaoghaire Rathdown County Council owns property adjacent to the Club in Glenalbyn. The Council has operated a pool on that site for many years and decided to close that pool approximately three years ago. Since that time the Club has, like others, observed the Council’s comments and activities as regards the pool. The Council’s website contains an update on the matter from the Council’s point of view.

The Club was approached by the Council some time ago to ascertain our attitude to the development of a replacement pool by the Council. The Club responded to say that the issue of pool development is a matter for the Council on whose lands such a pool would be built. The Club stated that its concerns would be focussed on the Club’s ability to continue to use its own property to function as a GAA Club of 4,500 members.

In essence the Club stated that if any new pool would attract usage which might impact on the operation of our Club then one could anticipate an issue arising. Alternatively if the new pool attracted usage levels similar to that which had historically been experienced in the now closed pool then that would seem, on the face of it, to represent a more manageable proposition based on the Club’s experience.

The Club emphasised that the Club’s perspective on the matter would be decided by the members and that the members would be consulted whenever the Council made a proposal for them to consider.

In 2016 the Council indicated that it was anxious to understand the Club’s view as to whether, all other things being equal, a construction project was capable, from a technical construction project point of view, of being executed on the site. The Club responded by saying, without prejudice and subject to understanding what the construction project might be exactly, that it had confidence that a construction project could, from a technical point of view, be carried out. In essence the Club has indicated that if a construction project has to be undertaken to deliver a pool which the Club is happy to support then the technical challenge of carrying out building work should be capable of being overcome. All subject to seeing the detail of any such project.

The Club has made clear that as soon as any proposal emerged from the Council as regards pool development the Club would put the matter before its members to ascertain their views. To date no such proposal has been made by the Council although the Council have indicated that a pool of similar dimensions and characteristics to the old pool is the most likely proposition. The Club understands that the Council have made that view public also.

At present the Club’s construction expert team has had engagement with DLRCC and certain surveys by the Council have taken place and, we understand, continue to take place. The Club remains in the position of believing that construction should be possible from a project management point of view without having clear sight of any project proposals from the Council. The club’s representatives have engaged with the Council as part, we understand, of a technical dialogue which will ultimately lead to the Council making a proposal to the club which the membership can consider.

It is important to state that the Club to date has had no real insight as to how the Council would propose to land a new pool into the middle of our busy Club. We have no estimates of planned throughput of users and no assessment of compatibility with our current usage of our property. It will only be when the club has clear sight of such matters that the members will be able to decide whether they are prepared to facilitate whatever the Council’s detailed proposals might turn out to be. The key for the Club is to understand how the Council’s detailed pool development proposals when they are made would impact on the use by members of their Club property to facilitate the playing of gaelic games by 2,500 (approx.) playing age members (from age 5 to over 40).

In summary I would like to assure members that the Club is, like the public generally, unaware of any detailed proposals for development of a pool adjacent to our property although it appears that whenever a proposal is made it is likely to focus on a pool of similar dimensions to that which historically existed on the site and it is likely to require a footpath from Glenalbyn Road to the site of the pool. As soon as the executive has an understanding of what the Council might be proposing we will of course share that information with members and seek their view as to how they wish the Club to respond to any such proposals. In the meantime the Club continues to facilitate the Council with engagement (not negotiation) as regards the construction technicalities of an as yet unknown development.

Finally I should say that, separately to the above, the Club has engaged and continues to engage with the Council as regards the challenge of accessing playing facilities for the 2,500 playing members of our Club. As soon as that engagement produces an outcome or substantive progress the Executive will share that with members.

Kevin Foley

Chairman Kilmacud Crokes

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