Frank Stevens, the President of Swim Ulster was present when the first sod was cut at the Bangor 50 metre  Olympic pool site by DCAL Minister to the Northern Ireland Assembly, Nelson McCausland.

L-R:
Back row: Mary Kate, Michael, Jordan from Bangor Swimming Club
Front row: Dominic Walsh, Sport NI; Nelson McCausland, DCAL Minister; John Montgomery, Mayor of North Down and Robert McAlister, Farrans Construction.  

VIPs included John Montgomery, Mayor of North Down, Trevor Polley CEO North Down Council, Dominic Walsh, Chair of Sport Northern Ireland and Stephen Reid, Director of Leisure North Down Council. BBC cameras were there to record the occasion.

 Speaking at the event in Bangor the Minister said, “This project marks the first phase of a Major Facilities Development programme. As a regional centre of excellence the complex, which has received nearly £15million of funding from the Northern Ireland Executive, will be a facility to be enjoyed by all the people of Northern Ireland. The project will go a long way towards addressing our local need for world class sporting facilities and will deliver a sporting infrastructure previously unavailable.”

The Minister continued, “I wish North Down Borough Council every success for the future development and construction of its new Leisure Complex, which will include the 50 metre pool. I look forward to hearing about its progress and to visiting again when the building work is completed.”

 Representing the swimmers from Bangor were Jordan Sloan, Mary Kate McDowell and Michael Doggart who all posed with the VIP's in one of the giant machines used by main contractors Farrans to clear the site ready for construction (see picture above). Fred Kerr, veteran coach and Michael Angus, Chair of Bangor Swimming Club were also in attendance. Because it is a hard hat site it was hard to identify all the VIPs in their yellow helmets and high viz waistcoats.

The new giant leisure facility will be built beside the walled gardens at Valentines Fields at the back of Bangor’s Castle Park. Michael Angus remembers playing soccer on the pitches there as a lad.

The pool will be ready for the start of the 2012/13 season. As well as a fully equipped leisure centre with sports hall,  fitness suites, fun water park and restaurant the competitive swimming facility comprises a 10 lane 50m pool 2 metres deep and a diving pool bigger than most conventional 25m pools. There are 1,000 spectator seats. 

The Swim Ulster headquarters will move to the facility. A High Performance Squad similar to the Limerick HP Squad that produced European Silver medallist, Grainne Murphy will be led by a full-time Professional High Performance Coach.

As well as supporting the High Performance Squads and facilitating local competitive swimmers North Down Council is committed to developing the other aquatic disciplines: water polo, diving and Synchronised swimming in co-operation with Swim Ulster and Swim Ireland. The support and expertise of Swim Ireland and Sport Northern Ireland has been invaluable in bringing the 50 metre pool project from the drawing board to realisation.

27 August 2010