Work starts on €5.1m upgrade of swimming pool in North Cork town

Work is under way on a long-anticipated, €5.1m refurbishment of Mallow Swimming Pool, improvements that will eventually reduce energy costs and emissions and save the council money.

The contract for the works was signed recently between Cork County Council and Cumnor Construction. 

The upgrades, which should be completed early next year, include a new extension with reception, administration, staff facilities, and visitors’ room. The pool area will also be upgraded, with modern changing facilities, new mechanical and electrical services, and improved thermal efficiency and energy ratings.

Fantastic amenity

Mayor of the County of Cork Joe Carroll described Mallow Swimming Pool as a “fantastic amenity” for the people of the town and its wider hinterland in North Cork.

“It attracts approximately 150,000 visitors each year,” said Mr Carroll. 

“The building was first opened in 1996 and these important works will ensure a safe, modern, energy-efficient swimming-pool facility is in place for the next generation of users.”

The upgrade of Mallow Swimming Pool has featured on the agendas of Kanturk-Mallow Municipal Council meetings for a number of years and the latest turn of events has been welcomed by Mallow-based Fianna Fáil councillor Gearóid Murphy.

“It will be a great resource for the community, once it’s built, and it will also be a win for the environment, as emissions will be reduced,” he said. 

“It will save the council money, as it will be cheaper to operate. It will also benefit from energy-efficiency grants.”

Grant

The project has received a grant of €496,018 from the Department of Tourism, Culture, Arts, Gaeltacht, Sports, and Media under the Community Sport Facilities Fund, and €493,891 from the Sustainable Energy Authority of Ireland.

Chief executive of Cork County Council Moira Murrell said the reduction of the “amount of energy needed to run and heat this amenity will help the council to achieve its climate-change targets” and that the works would “transform Mallow Swimming Pool for all users”.