A Rewarding Day In Newry As Ribbon Is Cut On The New Newry Leisure Centre

Newry, Mourne and Down District Council’s new £22million Newry Leisure Centre has been declared officially open for business and is ready to encourage the citizens across the district to ‘Be Active’. 

The new sports facility is located in the heart of Newry City and is the first centre of its kind in Northern Ireland.

Speaking at today’s official opening, Council Chairperson Councillor Roisin Mulgrew proudly said, “I am thrilled to see the second phase of Newry Leisure Centre now complete and open to the public.  This is an important strategic project for Council as it contributes towards both the economic and social development of our district.”

“The opening of the new leisure centre also coincides with the launch of our Be Active campaign which is a drive to promote better physical health and mental wellbeing.  With people leading increasingly busy lives, we often forget to look after our own physical and mental health.”

“The Council plays an important leadership role here and the new facilities are intended to reduce health inequalities by encouraging people to get active by enabling access to services, facilities and open spaces for all of our citizens, so that they can lead healthier and happier lives.”

Newry, Mourne and Down District Council is committed to providing citizens from across the district and beyond with top-class facilities and the new sports centre certainly does not disappoint.  The Council’s Corporate Plan identifies its commitment to working together to improve the health and wellbeing of all our citizens.

The new centre offers a vast range of facilities under one roof available for everyone to avail of including over 80 station Technogym Wellness Gym, 47 station spin studio, 8 court and 4 court sports halls, Indoor Soft Play Area, Core Café, multipurpose rooms and much more.

Chairperson Cllr Mulgrew added, “This Centre will provide the opportunity to provide first class training facilities to not only raise the skill levels of all our local athletes in all sporting aspects, but hopefully put Newry on the map as a centre of excellence and most importantly of all, raise the levels of health and well-being of all our citizens both in this district and further afield.”

“The ‘Be Active’ campaign is about motivating everyone to undertake more activity.  The Council is committed that ‘all people in Newry, Mourne and Down enjoy good health and wellbeing’ via the district’s Community Plan and the ‘Be Active’ campaign is a superb way to help support this outcome.”

“A healthy and active lifestyle contributes positively to physical, mental and social wellbeing and as an organisation we want to encourage all of our citizens to ‘Be Active, Your Way, Every Day!’” 

Councillor Billy Walker, Chairperson of the Active and Healthy Communities Committee was delighted with the unveiling of the new facility and said, “The premier new Newry Leisure Centre provides a new focus for the communities of our district and provides new facilities for staff and members of Newry, Mourne and Down District Council to work together to help our citizens achieve their health and wellbeing goals.”

“We are devoted to delivering for our communities and this facility certainly does.  It is a very impressive achievement for our Council and one we should all encourage our citizens to use.  We will strive to build a ‘Be Active community’.  Our leisure facilities are accessible to everyone and provide a vast range of activities to that can be included in an active lifestyle for everyone. The facilities offered are second to none in the district.”

Commending everyone who was involved in the completion of the project, Liam Hannaway, Chief Executive of Newry, Mourne and Down District Council said, “Our investment of £22 million is improving premises throughout our leisure and sport department.  We are supporting our communities and our district’s ability to attract world class sporting events.”

“It is an honour to officially open this leisure centre today.  Today marks a very special occasion where two buildings have become one and for the first time in over 30 years our two previous sports and leisure sites have joined under one roof to provide this superior sporting complex.”

Acting as Master of Ceremonies for the occasion, Michael Lipsett, Director of Active Healthy Communities said, “Alongside the opening of this new complex we have launched our ‘Be Active’ campaign which has emanated from the Council’s Corporate Plan and embraces its Corporate, Directorate and Strategic Objectives, Community Plan, Sports Facility Strategy and the Play Strategy.  The ‘Be Active’ campaign will be visible throughout all our leisure facilities, with an energetic look and feel the ‘Be Active’ element of the campaign is a fresh approach to promoting a healthy lifestyle combining physical activity and recreation activities to encourage a healthier way of living.”

Architects Kennedy & Fitzgerald and building contractor Felix O’Hare & Co Ltd have contributed to the success of this project and were highly praised during the official proceedings.

MP’s, MLA’s, Councillors, Disability Sports NI, SANDSA Executive and community representatives joined the Council’s Senior Management Team and Leisure Services staff to celebrate the official opening of the new Newry Leisure Centre - a modern and environmentally conscious designed facility that will contribute to the district’s portfolio of premises for public use. 

Almost 100 guests attending the red ribbon cutting ceremony before enjoying a tour of the spectacular new facility.