A grant totalling €366,700 has been awarded to Ballina Swimming Pool to improve access for people with disabilities. This is part of a €5 million grant scheme announced this week by Minister of State for Tourism and Sport Michael Ring.
Minister Ring said: “I am delighted to be able to allocate further funding to improve access and facilities for people with disabilities. The new €5 million worth of grants will be used for a range of purposes depending on the pool, including installing new ramps, widening doorways to allow wheelchair access, fitting hoists, and providing purpose-built changing facilities.
“I am also allocating additional funding under the Green Swimming Pool initiative to improve energy efficiency in swimming pools. Swimming pools require a lot of heating, so these grants will help more pools to become energy efficient, reduce their impact on the environment, and also reduce costs for taxpayers.”
According to Minister Ring Ballina Deputy Michelle Mulherin has lobbied very strongly over the last number of weeks in relation to the swimming pool in Ballina.
Minister Ring also announced a further €100,000 for the construction of a 20 kilometre cycle lane along the arterial route serving Ballina with signage and information under the Smart Travel Scheme. The additional €100,000 for Ballina is along with the €97,150 announced in early July, giving a total of €197,000 for that scheme.
“I am pleased that these grants will help to sustain jobs and also create new ones at the work stage,” Minister Ring added.
Deputy Mulherin has welcomed the additional funding under the Smart Travel Scheme and in doing so paid tribute to Mayo County Council management and staff for their work on the project which will include on-road and off-road cycle lanes, and cycle tracks suitable for both cyclists and pedestrians.
As well as being a tourist amenity like the Greenway, the Ballina Urban Cycle Network will assist local people to travel around the town by bicycle for their everyday journeys, enhancing road safety and encouraging more people in the town to get on their bikes.
The network extends in five directions from Ballina town to include the Ardoughan junction to the mini-roundabout at Circular road; Sli Echtra to Fahy’s Corner; Howley Terrace to Quay Road to the Moorings; Moyvale to Quay Road; the golf club to Bunree Road to Howley Terrace; Canalside (back entrance of Chider’s Heights to pedestrian bridge ); and the public transport loop (from Water Lane to Connolly Street to John Street and back onto Water Lane ).
The route will be marked on the surface and complemented with all necessary signage. Information panels will be installed at strategic locations to identify the routes available and to aid the interpretation of the rules along the varying cycle track options.
