Concerns were raised at a recent ABC Council meeting over ongoing sewage issues at South Lake Leisure Centre – while the temperature of the learner pool was also questioned.
However, the general manager of South Lake Leisure Centre denied any suggestion that the water temperature of the learner pool at the flagship Craigavon facility, is cooler than usual.
Some pool users have apparently complained in recent times that the pool water seemed to be cooler, according to Councillor Jessica Johnston who mentioned the issue at a recent ABC Community & Wellbeing committee meeting.
The Alliance representative for Lagan River DEA stated: “Just a quick query on the temperature of the pool in South Lake Leisure Centre, particularly the learner pool.
“I think there’s been a few complaints recently that the learner pool is the same temperature as the main one.
“Obviously the main one has to be cooler for the the club training, but it’s just in relation to the learner pool, a lot of people have said it’s colder than usual.”
South Lake Leisure Centre general manager, Paul A. Coleman explained that the water temperature was checked on an ongoing basis: “In relation to the pool temperatures, we check this every couple of hours, so we have a fairly good grasp of the temperature.
“The temperature has remained as it is from day one, it’s 29°C in terms of the learner pool, so there hasn’t really been any fluctuation.
“I haven’t really had any negative feedback about the temperature of that pool, so I’m happy to speak to the customer directly if they wish, but we do regularly check the temperature, at least four or five times a day, and we haven’t seen any deviation.”
Committee chair, Councillor Keith Haughian (Sinn Féin, Lurgan DEA) remarked: “The comments have been noted, and hopefully if we do get some response from the public with concerns about that, it will be addressed.”
Meanwhile, several weeks on from requesting a comprehensive report on ongoing plumbing issues at South Lake Leisure Centre, Alderman Margaret Tinsley is still pursuing the issue and asking for answers.
She stated at the time: “Several months ago, we had a problem with the sewage coming into the reception area, and really what my concern is, have we had an audit on the plumbing to make sure that we’re not going to have yet another issue?
“Have we been in contact with the contractor? Are we under guarantee? Are we able to claim? Is that work being done at our expense, or is that something that the contractor is covering under the guarantee?
“I suppose I’m really just concerned about the plumbing of the whole leisure centre going forward. It’s unfair for the staff and the users of the leisure centre to be coming up against all of these different issues.
“Just on a final point, there’s always a flushing problem in the toilets, and I just wonder, can that be looked at as part of the audit on the plumbing issue? Is that part of the plumbing problem that we’re having in the leisure centre?
“It’s a new leisure centre, we shouldn’t be having these issues. And that’s nothing to do with our staff running the leisure centre, it’s to do with how the plumbing has been set up in the first place.”
Four weeks later, as the committee reconvened on March 10, Ald Tinsley was still anxious to get some answers.
Addressing head of Health & Recreation, Darryn Causby, she commented: “I have been on the phone with officers, but I just wanted to have a formal response too.
“I suppose it’s really just finding out, where are we in terms of reviewing the current plumbing system?
“We got an email through last week with regards to the men’s toilets, which you can’t tell me it’s not linked to all of that.
“So what we need to find out is, what are the problems? And how are we going to rectify these? Because they’re not going to go away.”
Mr Causby replied: “I appreciate the time that you took with me this afternoon to discuss the same issue.
“There a number of issues, and we’re working with colleagues in the Estates to look at all of the issues that have come up, not just the ones in relation to plumbing, and how we manage those going forward.
