IRELAND'S last surviving Victorian public baths are to be restored to their "former glory" following a £5 million grant.
Templemore Baths in east Belfast was the last in a series of public baths to open in the city in the late 19th century.
It provided washing and sanitary facilities for the hundreds of families in the small terraced houses who did not always have the benefit of personal washing and bathing facilities.
The baths are one of the few remaining links to the inner-east Belfast industrial community and although part of the complex remains in use today, around 50 per cent of the building is vacant and in various stages of disrepair.
But many of the building's original features, including the twin entrances which reflect first and second class admissions, the minor pool and the slipper baths remain largely intact, although parts have been long abandoned.
However, Templemore Baths is to be restored following an award of almost £5 million from the Heritage Lottery Fund (HLF). The grant will allow Belfast City Council to restore, extend and fully re-open it for use as a leisure and fitness facility.
The project will restore the original features of the building and make it commercially sustainable by providing the local community with a new 25m pool and state-of-the-art gym.
The baths historic features will be interpreted and the social heritage connected to the site will be explored and used to tell the story of this much loved, iconic local building.
Paul Mullan from the HLF said: "Finding a sustainable use for Templemore Baths has been a goal for the local authority, Templemore Users Trust and people of east Belfast for many years.
"Now with ambitious proposals from Belfast City Council and money raised by National Lottery players, the baths are going to be transformed into a fitting leisure venue for people to use and enjoy.
"The new project will put the baths at the heart of the community once again, providing a boost to the local economy through the creation of employment and training opportunities whilst safeguarding this irreplaceable historic asset for the future."
John Hussey, chairman of Belfast City Council's Strategic Policy and Resources Committee, said: "This investment has the twin benefits of restoring this iconic building to its former glory and allowing us to deliver our ambitious programme of improvements to leisure provision in Belfast."
