Former tourist office may house ‘penguinarium’
Plans to create a ‘penguinarium’ attraction in Salthill could soon be back on the cards.
Control of the former tourist office at Toft Park is set to revert to Galway City Council, after it was argued that Fáilte Ireland was failing to honour the terms of its lease.
That could pave the way for the neighbouring Galway Atlantaquaria to progress previous plans to build a penguin attraction.
The tourist board has not used the building since the summer of 2010 because of staffing issues. The terms of the lease stated that its use must be to promote tourism, so there were repeated calls for the lease to be terminated.
Local area councilor Donal Lyons said this week that Fáilte Ireland has agreed to transfer the site back to the Council.
“This is an issue which I have been following up since 2012 and I am delighted that now, nearly four years later, there is finally progress on the return of the site to the City Council,” he said.
His Notice of Motion to the Council in 2012 – which was unanimously passed – read: “I request the City Manager to arrange an urgent meeting with senior officials at Fáilte Ireland, seeking the immediate staffing of the Salthill Tourist Office for the coming holiday season and future holiday seasons, as the land was leased (for a nominal fee to the then Ireland West Tourism) to promote tourism in Salthill and should Fáilte Ireland not accede or agree to this staffing request, that City Council would immediately cancel the land lease agreement, as the lease is not being honoured, and arrange for the immediate transfer of the said land back to the ownership of City Council”.
The following year, the Council sought expressions of interest for the site, and the operator of the aquarium proposed a penguinarium – the Council considered the use to be compatible with the zoning on the lands (Recreational and Amenity use).
Fáilte Ireland has stated that this proposal would be a welcome addition to the existing tourism offering in Salthill.
“As a local public representative, I have been very supportive of the Salthill business initiatives in promoting Salthill as a tourist destination.
“The site of the Tourist Office has great potential and it is very important that a tourist related attraction would be placed on the site without further delay,” said Cllr Lyons.