The future of one of Wexford’s most important purpose-built indoor and outdoor leisure and adventure facilities would appear to have been secured following its sale to a new operator.
While the price paid by Active Tribe for the Courtown Adventure & Leisure Centre has not been disclosed, The Irish Times understands the complex changed hands for in excess of €1 million.
The sale of the property was handled by agent JLL on behalf of Neil Hughes and Conor Noone of Baker Tilly, the court-appointed liquidators of Courtown Water World Limited and Gorey Courtown Forest Park CLG. The completion of the deal clears the way for the centre to reopen in the coming months, with 50 people set to be employed.
As part of the sales process, the joint liquidators and selling agent are understood to have given due consideration to the various interested parties’ respective track records, financial strength and business plans for reopening the property, and making it available to the public, local community, schools and swimming groups.
Amenities
The Courtown facility comprises a wide range of amenities, including a 25m indoor swimming pool, a separate children’s pool, a spa pool, a 65m water slide, fun pool, gym, cafe and beauty salon. The centre’s outdoor facilities include two high rope courses, a climbing wall, dual zip wires, laser tag, archery and a forest walk. The complex also incorporates a standalone seal visitor and rehabilitation centre, which is operated under licence by Seal Rescue Ireland (licensee not affected).
The sale of the property also included a 53-acre land holding, which contains lands zoned “commercial leisure”, “open space and amenity” and “natural amenity” under the Courtown and Riverchapel Local Area Plan.
All of these lands are freehold and the natural amenity lands, bounded to the north and northwest by the Ounavarra River and to the east by the town’s canal, are known locally as Courtown Woods. These woods date back over 150 years and are home today to numerous popular walking trails.
Courtown Adventure & Leisure Centre is about a one-hour drive south of Dublin and is accessed just off the recently upgraded N11/M11 Dublin to Rosslare motorway. The property is situated in a prime location, just 500m northwest of Courtown Harbour and canal, its town centre and its blue flag beach.
Dan O’Connor and Jack Fox of JLL advised the liquidators on the sales process, while Dillon Eustace provided legal advice.
