A major upgrade of the outdoor facilities at dlr Leisure Loughlinstown will bring three new padel courts and the modernisation of two all-weather football pitches to the Dub Laoghaire Rathdown facility
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The project represents another significant step in dlr Leisure’s expansion into padel following its earlier investment at Meadowbrook.
dlr Leisure CEO Niall Cull described it as an “upgrade and transformation” of the outdoor facilities.
The investment reflects the extraordinary momentum behind padel and the opportunity it presents to existing leisure operators.
Unlike building a completely new sports complex, the Loughlinstown project focuses on extracting more sporting and community value from an established public leisure site.
dlr Leisure has already tested the concept through its earlier Meadowbrook development combining padel courts with a refurbished all-weather pitch and multi-use play areas. Usage there has exceeded expectations.
Sport for Business Perspective
Public leisure operators need to respond to changing participation habits without abandoning the traditional sports and communities their facilities were created to serve.
Loughlinstown provides a good example of how that balance can work.
The three padel courts introduce a rapidly growing activity that can attract new users and generate bookable court income. At the same time, upgrading two football pitches protects and improves capacity for one of the most established community sports.
Facilities built around swimming pools, sports halls and traditional outdoor pitches increasingly need to evolve as participation changes. Padel, climbing, small-sided games and flexible activity spaces can broaden both usage and revenue.
DLR Leisure is a full member of Sport for Business. Dublin City Council are our Partner in Participation and Community Sport.
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Image Credit: DLR Leisure.
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