‘People’s privacy has to be respected’: Minister on Athlone outdoor pool plan

By Rebekah O'Reilly

The Minister for the Office of Public Works, Kevin 'Boxer' Moran, has said strong engagement with local residents will be essential as the proposed outdoor swimming pool and boardwalk in Athlone move towards the planning stage.

Speaking about the project, the Minister said he supports the direction being taken by councillors and the project team, noting that funding has already been set aside in recent years to progress design work for the development.

However, he emphasised that the concerns of residents living along the riverfront must be fully addressed before any final decisions are made on the scheme.

“I think it’s very important that we keep the people onside because it’s not just that we’re going to have a swimming area or a swimming pool, we’re also going to have people down there more regularly, and people’s privacy has to be respected at all times,” he said.

The comments come as Westmeath County Council continues to advance proposals for an urban outdoor swimming facility on the River Shannon, alongside a new riverside boardwalk designed to improve pedestrian and cycling connectivity through the town.

Under the council’s preferred option, identified during a recent public consultation process, the boardwalk would run along the river from the bottom of Methodist Church Street towards The Strand area.

The proposed outdoor pool would be located beside The Friary Gardens.

The wider scheme forms part of a regeneration plan intended to link the Athlone-Dublin Greenway with other key public spaces, including Burgess Park, through a continuous riverside route.

A recent public consultation held in Athlone Civic Centre heard that the preferred location offers calmer water conditions, reduced interaction with river traffic, and strong natural surveillance, while also supporting accessibility and integration with the town centre.

While more than 220 submissions were received during an earlier consultation on possible locations, the Friary-adjacent site was selected as the preferred option, with Burgess Park ruled out due to water depth concerns beyond the weir.

The project is now expected to progress through further consultation and into the planning application stage later this year, with final design refinements still subject to feedback from stakeholders and local residents.