Council to Evaluate Extended Hours for Leisure Centres

Causeway Coast and Glens Borough Council will be considering several strategies for extending the hours of operation of local recreation facilities.

The recreation centres at Joey Dunlop, Coleraine, and Roe Valley are those whose expanded hours are being examined.

Ballymoney UUP Councillor Darryl Wilson brought up the subject during a council meeting on September 19.

He asked for a thorough breakdown of the costs of extending the Joey Dunlop Leisure Centre's gym's business hours on the weekends and evenings. Councillor Wilson also asked about solutions that can be used to reduce these expected expenditures within the current Leisure and Development budget.

The Joey Dunlop Leisure Centre recently underwent renovations, and as a result, it now has cutting-edge equipment and a fresh look with new flooring and a lively colour scheme.

In addition to highlighting the superiority of the enhanced facilities, Councillor Wilson claimed that the longer hours would significantly impact the health and well-being of the neighbourhood. He acknowledged the budgetary changes made in the previous hour and agreed that this prolongation would have a cost.

Director of Leisure and Development Services Richard Baker addressed the issues, acknowledging the budgetary implications and highlighting the need to prioritise improving services to the community.