The North Fingal Pool Committee are a voluntary group set up with the clear objective to get a public indoor swimming amenity for North Fingal supporting Balbriggan, Skerries, Rush, Balrothery, Loughshinny, Lusk and surrounding areas. We have made great progress with the executive in FCC to the point where this amenity is included in the masterplan for North Fingal. Now that the project has initial approval our role is to ensure we keep the project in the spotlight and ensure
it is kept as a key part of the plan. One of the reasons we are so passionate about this project is the inability of our schools to access a local swimming amenity and therefore generations of pupils are missing out on the opportunity to learn to swim in a safe environment. This is why we asked our local primary and secondary level schools & colleges for their help and support to highlight the need for this necessary amenity.
Schools give overwhelming support for Swimming Pool in North Fingal
North Fingal Pool Committee carried out an extensive survey of schools in the North Fingal area including all the major primary and secondary schools. We called each of the schools and asked them to participate in a web-based questionnaire, which was designed to investigate the motivating factors impacting decisions around use of swimming pools as part of Leisure/PE activities. We were very pleased with the level of the participation and detailed feedback from schools management, but also greatly encouraged by the overwhelming desire to have a local swimming amenity for the students of North Fingal.
Of the 23 schools contacted, only 6 stated that they currently provided swimming opportunities to their students and then it was only in small blocks and limited to certain age groups. The majority of those used Aura in Drogheda, which is on average 25-30km’s away from most schools in the survey, but they also stated that they would provide a more regular and extensive swimming program if they had a pool in the local area. When the remaining 17 schools were asked why they didn’t provide swimming as part of PE to students, 16 cited time and cost to travel to a pool in Swords or Drogheda was just too restrictive. When all the schools were asked why a local swimming pool amenity is necessary they stated that general health, fitness and water safety were the main benefits for their pupils.
We are all aware of the physical and mental advantages to swimming for people of all ages. Most European countries see swimming as a necessary local amenity with many towns, villages and schools investing in a facility. What an amazing legacy for the future pupils and staff at our great schools if Fingal County Council follow through with their promise to support this project in the next 2-3 years.
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