Construction of the building began in 2002. The complex was meant to be finished construction in January 2007 but was not completed until four months later. Total cost of the building of the complex was €22.7 million. An open day for the complex was held on 18 and 19 May 2007, with the complex opened to the public on Monday 9 July 2007.
Facilities
The Aura Management Company operate the centre. The complex includes a 25m swimming pool, a gym, a 2,500 seat sports hall, an athletic track, soccer pitch, children's play area and skate park. The sports complex caters for indoor soccer, badminton, basketball, volley ball, aerobics, athletics, swimming, and gymnastics.
The opening proved controversial as many local politicians believed the old leisure centre located on the High Road should be closed to facilitate the building of a new courthouse. Local residents and businessmen thought differently, and staged protests against the closing of the centre. Local politicians decided on 14 May 2007 to close the old leisure centre, with the deciding vote coming from Ciaran Brogan. On 19 October 2007, the Aura Management Company confirmed the pool and health suite at the facility was to close temporarily with immediate effect due to work being carried out to correct tiles around the pool, which were deemed to be too slippery. The centre re-opened on a week later. The seating arrangements of the theatre area was criticised by many Riverdance attendants who complained that they could not see the show. On 20 April 2019, a "major incident" was declared at the leisure centre after children became ill during a swimming lesson. The incident occurred on the Easter Saturday of a busy bank holiday weekend. Doctors and nurses rushed to the scene to tend to the sick, the closest hospital activated its emergency plan and the building was evacuated. There were reports of children "screaming" and a parent who witnessed the event from the viewing gallery stated that "a green liquid spray into the pool". One mother, whose son was infected, said "he saw a dark brown fluid coming out in the pool under water" and described the children as "sick, coughing and vomiting". According to emergency services, the incident proved to be "very serious" and children required hospital treatment, with some of those affected being admitted intensive care. However, the Aura Management Company had released a statement claiming this was a "minor incident". Aura staff we praised for their reactions during the incident and for evacuating the centre immediately. The Aura Management Company mistakenly claimed on social media that all children had been released from hospital that night - however this had not been the case. Less than two weeks after the swimming pool incident, the facility was burgled.
