Independent Councillor Terry O’Flaherty can confirm Galway City Council will be installing shelters at Ballyloughane Beach shortly — for which she secured funding more than three years ago.
The two new shelters will be located each side of the lifeguard hut. Funding had been secured for the shelters in the 2021 City Council budget and Cllr O’Flaherty expressed her frustration that it takes ages for projects to come to fruition.
“I have been receiving complaints for a long time now from swimmers and other beach users that they have no option but to undress out in the open or at the boot of their car.
“Obviously it is worse when it is raining, and many of the complaints I have been receiving are from wheelchair users and older people with infirmities who have to endure their clothes getting soaked in heavy downpours, which is very uncomfortable for anyone,” she added.
“Ballyloughane Beach is very popular all year round with people living on the east side of the city, and with visitors to the area during the Summer. It is not acceptable that it is treated as the poor relation when other city beaches have much better shelter and changing facilities.
“As everyone knows, there has been an upsurge in recent years in sea swimming at all times of the year, so the demand for a basic sheltered changing facility is even greater today than it was when I secured the funding for this project more than three years ago.”
I would like to thank both Mr Patrick Greene and Sharon Connolly from The City Council for agreeing to have this much needed facility finally installed in Ballyloughane,” she added.
