Trinity College’s New Sports Centre Officially Opened by Minister for Arts, Sport & Tourism

Posted on: 07 April 2008

Trinity College Dublin’s new state-of-the-art Sports Centre was officially opened by the Minister for Arts, Sport & Tourism, Séamus Brennan on Monday 7 April 2008. The €30 millionbuilding houses a 25-metre, 6-lane swimming pool, a climbing wall, two sports halls as well as other top class indoor sports facilities. The Centre was made possible by a very substantial donation from Atlantic Philanthropies, one of many by Atlantic Philanthropies in Trinity as well as significant support from Trinity’s own students through an annual student levy for the construction of the building.

Speaking on the occasion of the opening, the Minister for Arts, Sport & Tourism, Séamus Brennan said: “Sport and recreation play a hugely important role in university life and never more so than in today’s hectic environment. It is wonderful that here, on campus, in the heart of the bustling city, students and staff can fit physical exercise into their busy schedule by taking advantage of the fantastic range of facilities on offer in this stunning new sports facility”.

The Sports Centre, situated at the corner of Pearse Street and Westland Row includes specially designed features such as the 25-metre pool’s floating floor which allows for depth adjustment to cater for deep water activities such as scuba training and water polo. There is also a hydraulic lift to allow for full disabled access to the pool. Both the lift and floating floor are only available in a small number of swimming pools in the country.

Another striking element of the building is the spectacular 19-metre climbing wall which is visible for almost the entire height of the building from Westland Row. Other facilities include two large sports halls for all ball sports and martial arts; a fitness theatre; an aerobic and dance studio as well as treatment rooms for physiotherapy and massage and relaxation areas for sauna and steam room.

Commenting on the importance of the Sports Centre, TCD Provost, Dr John Hegarty said: “It’s important that our students have a healthy and balanced experience of College life. This newly built Sports Centre provides all of Trinity’s students with an opportunity and incentive to participate in recreation and sports activities in a magnificent environment, using some of the best indoor sports facilities in the country. It also provides the College’s 50 sports clubs with excellent facilities to train and a venue to host intervarsity competitions and national events. I am delighted to acknowledge the pivotal support by Atlantic Philanthropies and the contribution by the student body.”

The Sports Centre is open to students, staff and graduates and in this academic year almost 8, 000 students have used the facilities regularly. The local community in the South Inner City is also encouraged to use the facilities and schools in the area use the Sports Hall on a weekly basis.

As part of the official opening Trinity College ‘s student members of its 50 sports clubs gave demonstrations of their respective sports. They included the basketball, kayak, aqua aerobics, swimming, boat soccer, rugby, rifle, GAA, hockey, fencing, judo, boxing, the climbing and trampoline clubs.