Rhyl Sun Centre: Financial risks 'too great' to keep it open
Rhyl Sun Centre is said to be in a poor condition
A landmark aquatic centre in Rhyl which shut last month is unlikely to reopen, says Denbighshire council.
Rhyl Sun Centre closed along with Prestatyn's Nova Centre and the North Wales Bowls Centre when the trust running them ran out of cash.
Denbighshire council has been reviewing options for the sites, which employed 120 staff.
The Nova Centre is unlikely to reopen before a planned revamp but the bowls centre could open with reduced hours.
The council's cabinet will discuss the options for the three leisure facilities at a meeting on Tuesday, 25 March.
- Denbighshire council recommendations for Rhyl Sun Centre are:
- Not to re-open as a wet leisure facility
- Explore potential for alternative use as dry leisure facility
- Recommendations for the Nova centre are:
- Not to reopen in advance of a proposed refurbishment, assuming the business case is approved
- Continue to progress the refurbishment business case with view to a decision in April/May
- Recommendations for North Wales Bowls Centre are:
- To re-open on slightly reduced opening hours, in response to seasonal demand
- Explore establishing a good professional partnership with existing clubs
- Assume small operating loss £10k (to cover property investment costs), which will cover the investment in a new roof and bowling carpet
Clwyd Leisure was set up by the authority in 2001 to run the three sites on its behalf.
But the council's cabinet decided to withdraw financial support of £200,000 for 2014/15.
Trustees of not-for-profit Clwyd Leisure had been holding talks with the authority for months over a possible takeover. But discussions ended last month without resolution.
Poor conditionClwyd Leisure ceased trading in February and has since entered voluntary liquidation, leaving 120 workers facing an uncertain future.
Rebecca Maxwell, Denbighshire's corporate director for economic and community ambition, said: "We have given serious consideration to all the options available to us before making the recommendations.
"The cost and risk of operating the facilities at the Sun Centre have been deciding factors in the recommendation not to reopen the attraction.
"We suspected the building and equipment would be in a poor condition, and this has been confirmed during our visits to the facilities.
"The kind of investment in question would be beyond the council's means.
"It would not provide value for money and the sun centre is a building with a short lifespan."