New 'best in class' North Tipp Water Sports Facility to open in near future
New building will ‘add immeasurably to the way the lakeside village is perceived’
THE €1.2 million, new Water Sports Facility in Dromineer is expected to open in the near future.
Many are looking forward to the opening of the long-awaited building which has been expertly designed and will provide essential services for people enjoying water sports in beautiful Lough Derg.
The Director of Services for Nenagh Municipal District, Liam Brett, told a recent Council meeting that a great deal of work has gone into the new building and it will be the first of its kind in Tipperary. Mr Brett pointed out that when it opens it will add immeasurably to the way the lakeside village is perceived by all the visitors who come from near and far.
Cllr Joe Hannigan told The Midland Tribune that the construction of the facility is basically completed and it will probably be “handed over to the Council in the very near future. It's expected that the Council will open it to the general public shortly afterwards.”
Cllr JP O'Meara welcomed the “good progress.” He said it was also good to hear that lifeguards are being hired to work in Dromineer. Rosemary Joyce, Senior Executive Officer in Tipperary County Council, told the recent Nenagh MD meeting that perhaps seven lifeguards will be employed in the village.
Cllr JP O'Meara pointed out that jetskis can be a source of annoyance for many people visiting Dromineer. “We need to erect signage telling jetski users that their jetskis should always be a certain distance from the shore and not among those who are swimming. Last week someone told me that he reported a jetski user to the Guards because he had been driving his machine amongst the swimmers.”
The new facility was developed by Fáilte Ireland in partnership with Tipperary County Council. It's been called a “best-in-class” outdoor tourism amenity and it aims to enhance the visitor experience and serve as a “central hub for outdoor activities in Tipperary.”
The Council says the new facility “will help extend the outdoor tourism season by providing year-round hot showers, changing rooms, toilets, secure storage, and induction space. Accessibility and sustainability will be key focus points for the project, ensuring full wheelchair access and the installation of solar heating panels. It will also feature a Changing Places facility along with an accessible toilet.”
The project is part of Fáilte Ireland’s Platforms for Growth Scheme, funded under the Government’s Project Ireland 2040 strategy. The first Fáilte Ireland investment scheme of its kind, it specifically targets ‘platforms’ or projects that have the greatest potential to grow tourism across Ireland and strategically enhance the Irish tourism offering to meet visitor needs. Dromineer is the 6th Water Sports Activity Facility to begin construction under this scheme with a total of 19 facilities to be developed across 13 counties.