A petition calling for the reconstruction and reopening of the tidal swimming pools at Ladies Beach in Salthill has reached more than 4,500 signatures.
The campaign, which has been created by a number of local swimming enthusiasts, is calling on the Galway City Council to restore the pools as an open air venue in which people can learn to swim safely.
Ladies Beach once had tidal pools - contained areas which would deliberately flood at higher tides, creating an area in which people could swim in sea water, but at a shallower depth and within a swimming pool like environment. However, in the late 1980s, Ladies Beach was considerably redeveloped, and the tidal pools replaced by a plaza-like structure.
Pupularity of sea swimming
However, with sea swimming enjoying unprecedented popularity, there are now calls for the tidal pools to be reintroduced, as a way to teach swimming and introduce people to the joys of swimming in the sea all-year round.
“Tidal pools allow members of the public to swim in a protected area, whilst being right by the sea,” said Ronán McGuire, one of the people behind the petition. “It would cater to less confident swimmers who are looking for a safe, sheltered area in which to swim. Parents could bring their children to the pools for lessons and to imbue the love of swimming in the next generation, in the knowledge that they are in a safe area.”
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Mr McGuire believes that the tidal pools can have a wide range of community and recreational benefits, and that they would also cater for differently-abled swimmers; swimming, water polo and triathlon club training; lifeguard and water safety training; GAA, soccer, and rugby post-training recovery.
“This petition will support our application to Galway City Council under the Galway City Development Plan 2023-2029 to reopen the pools,” said Mr McGuire.
The petition can be signed at: https://my.uplift.ie/petitions/rebuild-the-salthill-tidal-pools. The closing day for submissions to the Galway City Development plan is tomorrow, Friday March 5. Submissions can be emailed to [email protected].
