The opening hours for the new Knocknacarra Community Centre have been branded “totally inadequate” and “short-sighted and inconsiderate of the needs of the wider community”.
This is the view of Fianna Fáil city councillor Peter Keane who has slammed the Galway City Council on the centre’s opening hours.
Speaking to the Galway Advertiser, Cllr Keane said a decision was made in City Hall to have the new centre opened for a limited number of hours in the week and closed on Mondays and Tuesdays.
He acknowledged that substantial progress has been made regarding access and usage of the dressing rooms by Salthill-Knocknacarra GAA Club and Knocknacarra Soccer Club through a proposed licensing arrangement which was broadly welcomed by both organisations.
However concern still exists over the opening hours of the main centre itself. Cllr Keane is now calling for the centre to be open “from early morning” to facilitate groups like the Knocknacarra Active Retired, readers clubs, yoga groups, and performing arts clubs.
“There is no difficulty filling the optimum hours of 3pm to 10pm by the many sporting clubs in the community,” said Cllr Keane. “However, we must be cognisant of the needs of the wider community, after all it is a community centre, not just a sports centre.”
The centre recently opened on an interim basis and is being staffed by council employees. A final decision on the long-term management of the centre will be made next year.
