It was in the former Pathe Hotel on September 8th, 1994 that a packed public meeting organised by Roscrea Chamber of Commerce and chaired by its then President John Lupton initiated the setting up of R.C.T.L.C. to work towards making a swimming pool for Roscrea a reality.
In the previous months a small committee under John Lupton explored the possibility of a Leisure Centre for Roscrea to include a swimming pool and concluded that not only would it be possible but the future social and economic development of Roscrea was very much dependent on it.
One year ago a company known as Roscrea Swimming Pool Company and dominated by officials of North Tipperary County Council was set up to build Roscrea's Swimming Pool. It has been reported that a IR1 million corporate donation promised through Defence Minister Michael Smith has not to date materialised. Mr. John Lupton, R.C.T.L.C.'s Chairman has called on the Roscrea Swimming Pool Company to make a public statement clarifying the situation. He said that R.C.T.L.C. wrote to the company some months ago and they responded that they were in the process of confirming funding. Mr. Lupton says that R.C.T.L.C. are very concerned with the delay in commencement of work on Roscrea Swimming Pool. Therefore I would urge the company on this the 9th anniversary of our initial public meeting of September 8th, 1994, to make a public statement clarifying the situation. We certainly cannot pre-empt the context of such a statement but we sincerely hope that it will signal the early commencement of work on Roscrea Swimming Pool and clarify that funding is in place. R.C.T.L.C. cannot rest until Roscrea's Swimming Pool is built. This matter must now be of priority concern to every single individual in Roscrea and its hinterland. I have seen at first hand the enormous contribution, commitment and selfless effort made by the community of Roscrea and its hinterland towards insuring that Roscrea Swimming Pool becomes a reality. No one in Roscrea or its hinterland must, at this stage, be prepared to accept, in any circumstances, anything less than the early realisation of Roscrea Swimming Pool.
