Galway Bay fm newsroom - Galway City Council has passed a motion to offer additional funding to the Leisureland Board in a bid to keep the swimming pool and gym open until the end of the year.
Galway Salthill Failte, the company which runs Leisureland, sumbitted two options for emergency funding to the Local Authority at this week's City Council meeting.
It comes as the company advised staff last week that the facility has struggled over recent weeks to meet running costs.
Option 1, requested €178 thousand to keep the meeting rooms, hall and external areas open, while the pool and gym would be temporarily closed until the end of this year.
Meanwhile, option 2 sought to wind down the management company and for the Local Authority to take on the facility's operation and outstanding debts.
The proposal document which was circulated to councillors states that it would cost the €207 thousand to run the full facility, including the pool and gym, until the end of the year.
Fianna Fail Councillor John Connolly tabled a motion, to increase the funding allocation in Option 1 from €178 thousand to €207 thousand to keep the pool and gym open until the end of the year.
City Chief Executive Brendan McGrath told councillors that whatever Leisureland seeks this year will come out of their subsidy for next year and said this is a consideration for the board.
The motion to offer increased funding was seconded by Labour Councillor and Leisureland board member Niall McNelis and was successfully passed by 13 votes to two, with two absent and one abstension.
Galway Salthill Failte is expected to make its decision on this additional allocation at a board meeting tomorrow.
