A plan to turn the former Salthill Tourist Office into a ‘bike park’ has been submitted to the National Transport Authority (NTA).

The building in public ownership situated on 0.13 hectares along the Promenade hasn’t functioned as a tourist office and has been vacant since 2012.

A proposal to provide a Penguinarium at the site was ultimately rejected by Galway City Council over five years ago.

The local authority sought expressions of interest from organisations and businesses in 2020 but the facility in a prime location in the tourist seaside village has been lying idle.

Now, it has emerged that the NTA has been approached about using the site as a bike park.

Exact details of the proposal have been kept under wraps but are expected to be unveiled at the Galway City Council meeting in September.

Director of Services, Elizabeth Fanning confirmed to a Council Corporate Policy Group meeting in July that the NTA was examining a proposal for the site.

Once the NTA provided a response to the proposal, a report on it will be brought to councillors, she said.

Councillor Donal Lyons (Ind) said he understood the proposal was for a bike park – but the details were still sketchy.

“My understanding is that an idea has been pitched to the NTA about having a bike park at the old tourist office. What that consists of, we don’t know, and we have no further information about it,” he said.

A local electric bike business had previously approached the City Council with a presentation about its e-bike hire plans for the city but it was not clear whether that business was involved in this latest proposal for the tourist office.

The building is owned by the Council and is situated on land zoned Recreational and Amenity.

Cllr Lyons said expressions of interest were sought four years ago, and Salthill was still waiting for a decision.

“There are so many organisations looking for accommodation for various reasons and here we have a building on our doorstep that could be used. All I want is for this to be utilised, for community or for business or for whatever, instead of being an eyesore.

“It’s just pure frustration. It’s over a year ago we were being told a report is imminent. I raise it at nearly every meeting. It is frustrating that this building which could be occupied, is idle. We are in the dark really. No matter how many times we ask the question, we are not being given more information about what this bike park is,” he said.

The Council executive has agreed to come forward to the September meeting with a proposal.

Pictured: New plan: the former Salthill tourist information office.