Recreation and Amenity
One of the jewels in Westport’s crown is the superb Leisure Park facility situated off James Street. It was opened in 1999 and is now firmly established as a major all-weather attraction and a centre of excellence for sport. It is managed by a company whose directors include representatives of Westport Town Council, Mayo County Council and Westport Chamber of Commerce. The Leisure Park is run by Mr Dermott Langan, Manager, with a staff of more than thirty. www.westportleisure.com The excellent facilities include:
The Leisure Park is a consistent winner of the An Taisce/ILAM White Flag. This is a hygiene/environmental award given to sports and leisure facilities reaching specified standards. Westport Leisure Park caters for the health, fitness and leisure needs of the whole community and is also of huge benefit to the local economy as a tourist product. Schools from the local and wider community are part of the extensive swimming programme. The staff at the centre have built a wonderful rapport with agencies catering for people with special needs and groups from Western Care, Mayo Down Syndrome and Special Olympics are weekly visitors to the Leisure Park. The facility holds several National Awards for Disability Provision and is regarded as "The centre that is setting the standards for disability provision." Westport Leisure Park offers a wide range of programmes and fitness classes - Active 55's, Aqua Aerobics, Spinning, Circuit Training, Pilates, etc. It is also home to the very successful Westport Swimming Club. The Leisure Park is approved by The Department of Education and Science as a centre for the delivery of summer courses for Primary Schools Teachers and has also runs a very successful 9-month Leisure Traineeship in association with FÁS. Custom HouseThe Custom House Studios were established at the Quay in Westport through a partnership involving the Artists Group in Westport, Westport Town Council, Mayo County Council, the Department of Arts, and the whole Westport community. The aims of the project are :
The studios originated back in the 1980's among locally based artists who recognised the need for a base or centre for the Arts - for studio space and an exhibition space. Mayo County Council and Westport Town Council became involved - by making the old Custom House at the Quay available as a site for the project. The building has been carefully restored to conserve its historical architectural features, housing 7 studios, a printmaking workshop and a gallery space. A new extension was opened in spring 2009 - completing the development works at the site. This extension has created a common space for use by artists, extra and improved exhibition space and administration offices. It was funded from the Social and Community Facilities Capital Scheme 2006, the Department of the Environment, Mayo County Council Social and Economic fund, and by Mayo County Council. Studios are available at a rent of €25 per week which includes utilities, and are rented for a period of 1 year, with an option to renew for a second year. One studio is set aside for short term stays for visiting artists. The print room is available for artists to use on an ongoing basis. Materials and equipment are available at the studios at reasonable prices. The Gallery is situated on street level in a major commercial area, with high visitor numbers from an international base. Each exhibition runs for approximately 3 weeks. There is a high level of local recognition of the value of the studios to the town and it's environs, in the provision of a quality arts facility and programmes. The Custom House Studios ensures artists and the work artists do are integrated into the local community and are given real tangible supports to continue and develop their work. This has the potential to provide an added cultural benefit for the local community, as well as contributing to an enriched mix of tourism products for the town, while at the same time providing valuable high quality public relations opportunities all of which can only further increase the reputation of the town, both as an excellent tourist and business destination and a good place to live in. For further information please contact: John Mc Hugh PlaygroundsWestport has some wonderfully equipped modern playgrounds:
The children’s playground is located beside the Leisure Park and cinema and the MUGA & Skate Park are located on the Louisburgh Road. They are excellent facilities and are enthusiastically used by children of all ages. Railway Walk / GreenwayThe Railway Walk is a delightful pedestrian walkway linking the Quay and the town centre. In 2009 Westport Town Council was successful in an application for funding from the Department of Transport to upgrade, extend and convert the existing Railway Walk into a high standard Greenway facility. The Greenway facility caters for cyclists and pedestrians and significantly improves links to adjacent housing developments, schools and municipal parking areas. The Westport Greenway has now been added to the Sli Na Slainte routes by the Irish Heart Foundation, and a map of the route can be obtained from the above website link. The Great Western Greenway linking Westport and Achill Sound was completed in June 2011. This off-road walkway / cycle path has proved a tremenduous asset to the entire area. Link Westport CineplexThe cinema is on a site formerly owned by the Town Council, adjacent to the Leisure Park right in the heart of the town. It is a three screen cineplex and is a very positive example of public/private partnership. Other featuresThe elegant tree-lined Mall and the Carrowbeg River are right in the heart of Westport and are very important to residents and visitors alike. The Town Council is continually improving and enhancing the area with natural paving of Lacken stone, attractive lighting etc. By far the most popular improvement was the introduction of ducks to the river. They have firmly established themselves as permanent and most welcome waterside residents. A series of stylish beechwood sculptures which were introduced in 1999 as part of the Council’s commitment to enhancing public spaces and supporting the arts are visible on the Castlebar Road and at Kings Hill. |
