The facility plans a new 25-metre swimming pool, 3G pitch changing facilities, a fitness suite, an eight-court sports hall and a ‘clip‘n’climb’ facility
Belfast councillors have agreed £22million to transform a North Belfast community centre once described by a DUP councillor as “isolating” protestants.
Sinn Féin welcomed a decision at the council’s Strategic and Resources Committee on Friday to provide the sum for Girdwood Community Hub, Girdwood Avenue, between Antrim Road and Cliftonpark Avenue.
North Belfast Sinn Féin Councillor Ryan Murphy said the money would transform Girdwood Community Hub into a “first-class” community and leisure facility.
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The new Girdwood facility will include a 25-metre swimming pool, 3G pitch changing facilities, a fitness suite, an eight court sports hall and a “clip‘n’climb” facility. Construction is expected to be completed by August 2029.
The decision was made behind closed doors at City Hall on Friday, February 6, in a restricted session away from the public and press. Sinn Féin are confident the decision will be formally ratified at the full monthly meeting of the council on Monday.
The hub, which was opened on the site of a former army base in 2016, has seen some controversy in recent years, with at least one local unionist representative questioning how welcoming the centre was for protestants.
In 2023 a dispute broke out at City Hall after Castle DUP Councillor Fred Cobain said he had “difficulty calling it a shared space programme” after reports that local protestant football teams had been intimidated away from the centre.
Councillor Cobain said during a City Hall meeting at the time: “I am all in favour of people working together, so we can move forward in North Belfast, and I am not trying to bring this up as a negative point. I am just trying to ensure that communities feel comfortable about going to Girdwood.
“I want to make sure everybody has bought into it – it is the only way this is going to work. I don’t want to mention clubs, and I could mention three or four who used to go to Girdwood but who no longer go there. They feel they were intimidated out.”
He said: “Anything that we can do to ensure antisocial or sectarian behaviour is addressed, I am in favour of that,” and added: “I don’t want to see this facility become a one community facility.”
He added: “This is a fantastic facility for North Belfast, with huge potential, but I have to say, to call it a shared space programme – I find that quite difficult. A lot of protestant unionist groups in this area feel isolated when they go there. There is a lot of antisocial behaviour around groups coming to this (place).
“My concern is when we are talking about a community management programme, is that you have to ensure the unionist community around that area are fully supportive of this. There have been difficulties here over the last few years, and I know a lot of football teams that have been there simply now refuse to go, because they feel intimidated.
“So it is a bit strong for me to call it a shared space, in the sense that we think of a shared space. There is a lot of work to be done around it. But the facility itself has huge potential, and I would like to see the antisocial behaviour there addressed, so people from all communities can go there in peace.”
The council said in a report: “Girdwood community hub has the principles of shared space built into its core and, to enable the facility to benefit inter and intra community relations, the council set up a dedicated community hub forum whose role is to promote and help advise on enhancing the hub as a welcoming, open, shared, and safe space.”
It states: “Programme delivery from the local organisations has been shown to contribute to the reduction of antisocial behaviour at the site and has also delivered on other important outcomes linked to good relations and shared space. The summer programming has always contributed towards Girdwood being considered a safe and welcoming space for all and proves important during times of potential tension.”
Sinn Féin Councillor Ryan Murphy said after the council committee meeting on Friday: “This is incredible news for people right across north Belfast and represents another significant investment in our community.
“Sinn Féin has long campaigned to deliver first-class leisure facilities at Girdwood, and I’m delighted we are taking this final step towards delivery. We will continue working with other parties to drive the positive transformation of our city and deliver high-quality services for ratepayers.”
SDLP North Belfast Councillor Carl Whyte said: “This significant investment will transform Girdwood Community Hub into a modern facility that meets the needs of families living in the area. The addition of new changing facilities, a fitness suite and a sports hall is hugely welcome, but people will be particularly excited about the new 25-metre pool, the first new public swimming pool in Belfast in almost two decades.
“North Belfast has been crying out for this kind of facility, and it is only right that local families have access to the same high-quality amenities as those in other parts of the city. This long-awaited redevelopment will go some way towards addressing that imbalance.
“The SDLP was clear that this project had to be progressed by Belfast City Council given the Department for Communities’ continued failure to complete a business case to support the development. North Belfast should not suffer due to Executive department delays and I am pleased that council has now given the green light and that we can look forward to the redevelopment of Girdwood Community Hub getting under way.”
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