The waterworks building on Dyke Road is set to be transformed into a state-of-the-art watersports centre, with a floating pontoon on the River Corrib and a new greenway for walkers and cyclists, following Galway City Council’s issuing of a tender for the €2 million project.
Fianna Fáil Galway West TD, John Connolly, has welcomed the development, which will see the old Galway Corporation Waterworks, originally built in 1867, reimagined as a modern water sports facility.
Work to be carried out on the Victorian structure will result in a gym, ergonomic training room, a café, function room, changing rooms, drying room, bathrooms, reception, first aid, equipment storage facilities, plant room, kitchenette, mother and baby room, communications room, offices, a test room, and a rowing storage shed.
“The lands around the building will also be transformed,” said Dep Connolly, who has supported such proposals for the waterworks since his time as a city councillor, “most notably with a floating pontoon on the River Corrib as well as a pedestrian and cyclist greenway along the river.”
The proposed pontoon will be a 10m x 2m wide floating galvanised steel pontoon connected to an access gangway by a roller connection. The pontoon will be terrestrially anchored and set back from the riverbank.
New boundaries, a new pedestrian road crossing and drop off area, hard and soft landscaping, footways, public lighting, connections to existing services, and ancillary site development works are also proposed.
The issue of a tender is the latest development in the plans to have the waterworks changed into a watersports centre. Last year, funding was announced from Fáilte Ireland under its second Platform for Growth Scheme, which focuses on increasing year-round participation in water sports.
“I welcome this advancement of the project,” said Dep Connolly. “It will be a great asset to our City, which has a great tradition of rowing. The pontoon will add much visitor interest and the Greenway will be welcomed by walkers and cyclists, and hopefully encourage more people to take up such leisure and recreational activities.”
The news comes as Minister Jim O’Callaghan announced funding of €8 Million to the University of Galway for the development of a Watersports facility in their grounds at Newcastle.
“The University received planning permission for a hub for water-based sports within the college, which includes a floating dock and pontoon beside the Alice Perry engineering building just north of the Quincentenary Bridge. I’m delighted to see the project get this injection of funds to help bring it to completion.”
The deadline for the submission of tenders by companies interested in the construction work is June 15.
