Potential sites outlined for outdoor swimming pool in Cork city

A CAMPAIGN for an outdoor swimming pool in Cork City is gathering pace with the recent completion of a draft report identifying some potential sites for the amenity.

Late last year, the Lido Cork group spearheading the initiative announced that, following consultations with Cork City Council, the local authority had agreed to take the lead in sponsoring a feasibility study on the project.

Cork City Council has now confirmed that an initial draft report has been compiled.

“Lido Cork have appointed consultants Malachy Walsh to undertake a feasibility report into shortlisting a number of potential sites for locating a lido in Cork.

“The consultants have just completed an initial draft report which has yet to be reviewed by Lido Cork and ourselves before it is finalised with the consultants over the next few weeks.

“This report is focused on identifying potential suitable locations based on technical issues of planning, engineering and relative cost only,” a spokesperson for the council told The Echo.

“As the initial feasibility report has not yet been reviewed by Cork City Council, we can’t currently confirm any shortlist of sites.

“The next step will be for Lido Cork to arrange for the undertaking of a business case to establish and quantify the market demand for a lido along with the delivery, management and operation of the facility to establish the sustainability and financial viability of the project and possible funding sources for same,” the spokesperson continued.

“Open water swimming would benefit the physical and mental health of a wide range of society, including providing another facility for the people of Cork,” Lido Cork states on its 1,600-strong Facebook group.

When asked if he would be in favour of a lido being developed in Cork City, Taoiseach Micheál Martin indicated that he would, depending on the feasibility study’s findings.

“Depending obviously on the feasibility study, we’re open to ideas.

“We’re open to the widest possible variety of facilities and amenities for people because the aim ultimately, strategically is that Cork grows to international scale in a good way — retaining its character, its intimacy.

“We’re a multicultural community now and we have a wide variety of tastes, a wide variety of interests that have to be accommodated to make this really an attractive city to live in, to work in and to play in,” he said.