Kids Can Swim For £1 Across Belfast

Kids can swim for just £1 in leisure centres across Belfast for the next ten days as the council launches a new Aquatics Strategy.

A range of ambitious targets for increased swimming participation over the next decade were announced at Olympia Leisure Centre on Wednesday.

Belfast City Council developed the Aquatics Strategy for Belfast 2019-2030 in partnership with Active Belfast Limited and GLL, the social enterprise behind the 14 'Better' leisure centres dotted across the city.

The strategy comes off the back of a 24% increase in swimming lesson uptake over the last year, however the goals for increased swimming pool use don't stop there.

Lord Mayor Councillor John Finucane said: "By 2030 we want to almost double pool usage to 1.5 million pool visits per year and we have a range of other very ambitious targets. This includes big increases in annual swimming lessons, significant growth of usage amongst women and substantial increases in pool visits by the over 60s.

"The Aquatics Strategy supports our Belfast Agenda vision of building a city where everyone experiences good health and wellbeing by 2035.

"Underpinning the strategy is Council's £105 million Leisure Development Programme which will see seven new leisure facilities built over a ten year period. These five star facilities will be available at three star prices so that they are accessible to everyone in the city."

Chair of Active Belfast Limited John Mcguigan said he hopes for a growth in pool usage, particularly among traditionally underrepresented groups in society, in line with their aim of getting more people active.



(JG/CM)