Limerick and Clare County Councils have come together to launch a strategy aimed at ensuring nobody is more than 20km away from a gym, pool or all weather sports and recreation facility.
The Limerick and Clare Sports and Physical Recreation Strategy has been produced by Limerick Institute of Technology. It includes an aspiration that where no public facility is available, that provision be made for enabling public access at certain times to private facilities.
The strategy incorporates an analysis of current and future needs and activities and identifies a number of key objectives to maximise the use of scarce resources and to promote collaboration between different types of providers.
“Great progress has already been made in communities throughout Clare and Limerick in developing playgrounds, sports facilities, and amenity walks and trails,” said Mayor of Limerick Kathleen Leddin. “However, with the support of the local authorities and through promoting a collaborative strategic approach to identifying new opportunities, I am confident that we can further widen the choice of amenities, facilities and activities on offer to those who visit and live in the Region.”
Among the key recommendations of the plan is that larger-scale sports and physical recreation stadia and facilities be located within the areas of Limerick Metropolitan Area, Shannon and Ennis in order to maximise the accessibility of larger populations, the viability of the facilities and the potential use of public transport for providing access to these facilities.
Key sub-regional locations will also be identified for the provision of all-weather sports facilities to accommodate a wide range of sports and physical recreation activities such that no person is significantly more than 20km from such a facility.
While these locations are still to be finalised, one possible model would include Kilrush, Killaloe/Ballina, Lisdoonvarna, Lahinch, Ennistymon, Tulla, Scarriff, Newcastle West, Kilmallock and Rathkeale as well as Limerick, Ennis and Shannon.
New cycle routes including possible use of abandoned railways such as the Abbeyfeale and West Clare lines, as has been successfully done in Mayo, as well as the continued development of the Ballyhoura mountain bike trail system and other similar trails.
New stadia for team games will generally not be permitted within the area other than the provision within Limerick Metropolitan Area of one medium-sized stadium not exceeding a capacity of 7,500 with a primary focus on the accommodation of League of Ireland soccer matches.
Limerick currently lie 8th in the Airtricity Premier League playing their home games at the larger than required Thomond Park.
New water-based activities on the Shannon, the Shannon Estuary, the Fergus and the Fergus Estuary are to be prioritised including sailing, marine sailing, canoeing and kayaking, rowing, surfing, wind-surfing, and fishing.
It is a good approach which places actual needs ahead of historical boundaries and is to be applauded as a strategy to be put in place over the next decade.
Sports Tourism Seminar at Croke Park (September 19th)
Sport for Business 20/20 at Ulster Bank HQ (October 8th)
The Business of Youth Sport Seminar (November 28th)
