Tynwald has agreed to support the extra funding needed to complete a multi-million pound revamp of the swimming pools and water slides at the National Sports Centre in Douglas.
The £4.2m works had been expected to take nine months and see the swimming pools refurbished and the 20-year-old flumes replaced, before reopening in May 2019.
Whilst the main pool reopened in August 2019, significant issues were encountered with the design and installation of the stairs to the flumes.
The problems were discovered on delivery, with issues found on the stairs, platform and hand rails, and meant the leisure area has been closed off for more than two years.
Tynwald approved the £227,000 needed to complete the project that could see the facility reopen in the New Year.
The additional funding will allow both the manufacturer and installation team to resume the project with around four months needed to complete the works, subject to securing specialist contractor availability and travel exemptions.
Dr Alex Allinson MHK, Minister for Education, Sport and Culture said:
‘This has been an embarrassing situation that has been further drawn out by the global pandemic.
‘With the agreed extra funding we are confident the finished product will be welcomed by families who will I’m sure be looking forward to trying them out.’
The Department has been engaged in extensive negotiations with the Manx based main contractor, the Scotland based water treatment and features specialist sub-contractor, and their flumes supplier, based in Turkey, since 2019 and throughout the global pandemic.
