A DECORATIVE wall at a west Belfast leisure centre is being preserved amid the demolition of the building to make way for its replacement with a £25 million development.
The transformation of Andersonstown Leisure Centre is part of Belfast City Council's £105 million ten year programme to improve its sport and community complexes.
It is to be replaced with a state-of-the-art new multi-purpose leisure facility, "with an emphasis on water based family fun".
The poolside area will feature a wide range of facilities including slides and wet play equipment suitable for younger children, a FlowRider surf machine and a number of slides suitable for the more adventurous.
The new centre is due to open in summer 2019 and will also house a 25-metre, six-lane pool with 50 spectator seats, a learner pool, confidence water for small children and toddlers as well as a 140 station fitness suite, exercise studios, a spin studio, café, multipurpose room and five-a-side pitches.
The original leisure centre was designed by local architect DJ MacRandall in 1979 with a striking wall that is deemed of architectural interest.
Standing four metres high it features rendered concrete relief sculpture, with quasi-celtic symbols.
A spokesman for Belfast City Council said: “It is anticipated that a portion of the wall will be retained for posterity, however this depends on the result of further investigation by the contractor in terms of ease of removal and disassembly.”
