The pressure is being kept up to build a regional sports centre for Portlaoise, pushed by Portlaoise Panthers basketball club.
The club which organised a protest march on St Patrick’s Day to demand an indoor sport facility, held a public meeting on June 6 to reveal the findings of their own expert study.
The study by S3 Solutions, was funded with a €28,500 grant from Laois Leader. It estimates that a hall could be built for €16m and it could even turn a profit of over €100,000 a year for the club.
A big crowd came out for the meeting at St Mary’s sports hall, including local councillors and Minister Sean Fleming. Representatives came from local clubs including badminton, handball, athletics and hockey.
Chaired by Panthers coach Peter O’Sullivan, the gathering were given two options, one costing an estimated €16 million, the other €9.5 million.
The preferred option is for a two storey building with a full size basketball court with seating that can be retracted to convert it into two fullsize courts, with team changing rooms and meeting rooms, toilets and storage all on the ground floor.
On the first floor it would have balcony seating to view the courts below, plus offices, a seminar area, meeting rooms, a kitchen and large café with outdoor terrace.
The cheaper option would be single storey, with the same size basketball court but without a balcony, fewer changing and meeting spaces, and a coffee dock.
The experts recommend a series of eight steps starting with finding a site, before the project would be ready to apply for grants to build it.
One of the Portlaoise Panthers mens teams.
They note that almost 40,000 people live within 10km of Portlaoise, which has grown and urbanised rapidly, but “most existing facilities are deemed either not fit for purpose or not accessible” by local users.
“The main and overarching need is for a multi-purpose indoor hall that is large enough space for multiple training groups and competitive matches, yet flexible to be used for other classes such as yoga, Pilates, dance, and martial arts. It is noted through consultation that the ceiling of the main hall should be suitably high in order to enable ball sports without restriction. There should be a further space for teams to meet prior/post- match to debrief – this could be in the form of a designated room, a social space or café seating area. Food and beverage facilities should be made available at the proposed facility for players, travelling teams, supporters, and staff.
“There is a need for suitable changing rooms with modern shower and toilet facilities and each element of the facility must be accessible for all users. Therefore, appropriate adjustments for wheelchair users should be made to include ramps, and accessible changing rooms, showers, and toilets. Finally, the facility must have adequate storage available for all equipment as well as locker storage for players/facility users.”
Young members of Portlaoise Panthers welcoming Dublin teams at a recent tournament in St Mary's Hall Portlaoise.
Portlaoise Panthers member Lynda Scully is one of the drivers of the campaign.
She spoke to the Leinster Express / Laois Live.
“We need a much bigger indoors sports facility. We need a two acre site for it. We can’t keep looking at St Mary’s Hall to supply indoor facilities.
“It’s dreadful to see a club the size of Portlaoise Panthers relying on it. We are just back from Barcelona where we had three teams playing in the Euro Cup Youth. No other club had three teams. Between players and their families over 100 people travelled there, it was unreal. Imagine if we actually had a proper facility, what we could do. It’s so frustrating," she said.
Proud Portlaoise Panthers players in Barcelona.
“We set up a new management committee with representatives from all the clubs who rent the hall, to lower the rates and get grants.
“We have upgraded the heating and are 90% finished installing a wheelchair accessible bathroom thanks to a Laois Partnership grant. Last year the Irish U20 wheelchair team had to go outside to pee. Players from all over the country come to Portlaoise and that’s their impression of it. It’s so embarrassing. We are working with what we have,” she said.
“Using the land at Portlaoise Leisure centre would mean removing the pitches and playground, it would be terrible if that was taken out. We need to start thinking outside the box.
“We need a new council CEO as soon as possible and to really come together as a community with statutory agencies and look at what we are doing. It’s all fractured off, we should be looking at one facility,” she said.
