Lahinch SeaWorld closed at Christmas 2019 to undertake a refurbishment programme which was required to sustain what was a decaying facility for the next 30 years.
Ambitious plans were drawn up and a contractor was appointed in the second half of 2020. The goal of the voluntary board has at all times been to deliver the greatest possible impact with this once in a generation refurbishment. But it has been extremely challenging as the costs associated with such a complete overhaul of the building fabric, energy system replacement, pool refurb, new gym etc are enormous.
In late 2020 there was a lot of disappointment being expressed locally & in the press when it became known that elements of the initial plan were no longer scheduled to be included. In particular, the absence of a children’s learner pool caused much frustration. Nobody, was more disappointed than the members of our board. But it would have been reckless of us to include aspects which we could not show we could fund.
The board of Lahinch SeaWorld are happy to be able to confirm that a new children’s learner pool will now be included in the redevelopment. The Covid 19 Pandemic has left a devastating impact on our society & economy, but the closure of construction for the first 4 months of 2021, created a necessary window of opportunity for us to continue to explore every possible source of additional funding.
In that regard, we have secured further very significant funding from 2 incredibly supportive philanthropic funds, ongoing local fundraiser & Clare CoCo supports. The local fundraiser is still open & anybody wishing to support the redevelopment should contact any of our board members.
What started in 2018 as a €2M Rural Regeneration and Development Fund (RRDF) application to address a decaying roof, has now with thanks to incredible efforts of countless individuals & agencies combined to deliver a complete refurbishment of the facility at a cost of circa €5.8M. This will ensure a sustainable facility for another generation. The current project will now deliver:
Universally accessible facilities, with toilets, changing facilities & pool hoist to support users with mobility challenges.
Fully re tiled 50M pool to gala competition standard, with accessibility hoist.
New front facing landmark 2 storey glazed structure, home to a new gym.
New children’s learner pool.
New Jacuzzi, Sauna & Steam room.
Refurbished changing rooms, toilets & staff areas.
An “A rated” renewable Energy heating system.
Seeing the cranes on site over the last number of weeks has been a great lift to all involved. We earnestly hope that the Covid 19 recovery continues in the months ahead and with continued good luck we look forward to welcoming both familiar and new faces to SeaWorld in early 2022.
