Visitors blast '˜unbearable' heat in JDLC

The Ballymoney Times received numerous calls about the horrendous heat in the Council facility and that the heating system was constantly blowing out hot air which was a waste of ratepayers money.

One reader said: “I called into the centre and the heat just hit you. It was blasting out hot air and the pool area was totally unbearable. I was going to do a workout but I just decided it was too bad and left.”

Another reader told the Times that people were even feeling faint. He added: “They were not happy that ratepayers money was being spent on heating the centre when the weather was scorching outside. People were coming in for a swim to cool down but it was even worse inside, you couldn’t breathe. Even the fish in the tank looked in a bad way.”

In a statement to the Times, a Causeway Coast and Glens Borough Council official explained: “The Management at Joey Dunlop Leisure Centre are aware of the heating issues currently experienced by staff and the public in the pool hall. Please be reassured this is not an oversight on behalf of management but a fault with the heating sensors that control the temperature of the swimming pool water and the pool hall air.

“Council staff at Joey Dunlop Leisure Centre and Council’s Estates department have been working with specialist contractors to resolve the overheating issues caused by faulty heat sensors. The current hot weather has not helped the situation. The problem has not been fully resolved but the air temperature is at a more acceptable level currently.”