Message from local users is “no to displacement, no to being ignored, and no to padel at the expense of existing users”
Shankill Leisure Centre
An elected representative for Shankill has told City Hall that locals are against a plan to set up a padel court at the leisure centre, which could see a host of groups being displaced from their activities there.
At the November meeting of the full Belfast City Council this week (November 2), elected members unanimously agreed to a proposal by DUP Councillor Ian McLaughlin to halt regeneration plans for Shankill Leisure Centre, for leisure management company GLL to talk to people using the facility, especially groups threatened with displacement.
In August it was agreed Shankill Leisure Centre would receive “interim” refurbishment, including a padel facility, before a huge transformation project planned for the centre. In a restricted Belfast Council committee held away from the public and press, councillors approved proposed USPs, or unique selling points, for the business case for Shankill and Whiterock leisure centres.
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Minutes for the Strategic Policy and Resources Committee, while not giving full details of the meeting, were released for October’s full council meeting. The minutes state: “(Elected members) agreed to progress the refurbishment of the reception area at Shankill and to the introduction of new padel product in the main hall in Shankill, as an interim measure ahead of the future Shankill leisure transformation project to be funded by GLL as part of their ongoing investment programme.”
At the full council meeting this week Councillor McLaughlin said: “Over the past number of days and weeks myself and many others have been inundated with emails and messages from groups who currently use Shankill Leisure Centre. Groups that play netball, football, futsal, dander ball, and pickle ball.
“And the message is the same from all of them: no to displacement, no to being ignored, and no to padel at the expense of existing users. The council agreed for changes to be made in Shankill Leisure Centre, the main sports hall.
“I must appreciate GLL have now met with me and my colleague Nicola Verner and have taken time to review live bookings. But that does not resolve the original issue, which was a complete and utter lack of consultation with existing centre users.
“Some groups are now without somewhere to play at all, and some have agreed to move simply because they had no other option but to agree to that.”
He proposed the council “halt proceedings regarding the proposed transformation of the main hall and instead continue engagement and explore whether one hall can be retained.” He said it would be “a sensible and workable compromise for all.”
He added: “Let me be absolutely clear, we cannot and will not support a proposal that transforms both halls and displaces our existing users. Investment is absolutely welcome, but not at the expense of the very communities this facility is there to serve.”
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