Steady progress is being made in ensuring that pool facilities are maximised and space set aside for everybody at Craigavon’s South Lake Leisure Centre, councillors have heard
Speaking at Monday’s (January 12) ABC Community & Wellbeing committee meeting, Alderman Mark Baxter remarked he wasn’t receiving as many complaints as he used to, regarding conflicting requests for pool space at the flagship facility.
The DUP representative for Lagan River DEA commented: “Since South Lake Leisure Centre opened, there were quite a few complaints. They were trying to accommodate everybody in the pool.
“How common are complaints now? I’m not getting as many as I was this time last year. Have we seen an improvement there? Were there changes made to the scheduling of the pool?
“I still get a few grumbles from people who don’t get swimming in the morning, sometimes, but it’s not as bad as it was.”
The facility’s general manager, Paul A. Coleman, confirmed things were indeed improving.
He told Ald Baxter: “Yes, the pool programme has settled over a number of years. The officers are continually reviewing it, so if there are complaints, we try to find space.
“It’s a moving feast in terms of trying to keep public space versus club space. Our feedback has certainly died down from the early days, in terms of getting people into a routine.
“We’ve tried to maximise the space that we have, we’ve worked closely with the clubs in terms of creating that space when we’re busy, particularly at the weekends, and creating that regular timetable so that people know when is the best time to come.”
