A comprehensive look at the new facilities and rescued heritage at Templemore Baths in east Belfast

The footprint of the historic Victorian building in east Belfast has more than doubled in size, having expanded into the former hospital which occupied the space beside it, and yesterday members of the public were buzzing about the new £17 million leisure centre as it was officially opened.

David Thompson said: “I learnt to swim in the old baths at Templemore with my cousin. My aunt used to bring us over once a week for swimming lessons.”

He said the refurbished leisure centre was an “unbelievable transformation”, adding: “It’s a fantastic facility for the city, it really is superb. Luckily I work quite close by so it’s handy for me to come for a swim at lunchtime.”

Eva Cumming was visiting Templemore for the first time for a spa and swim bundle and was very impressed. She said: “I thought it was absolutely amazing. I’m not really a swimmer, but I saw it online and just went for it.

"It’s just round the corner from me so I’ll definitely come back.”

Margaret Smith and Irene Richer grew up in the area and went on a trip down memory lane in the heritage space which occupies the area where the minor pool once was.

Irene said: “They had the Olympic club, I think that was Tuesday and the Neptune club was Friday. I wasn’t much of a swimmer but I went along holding the bar.”

Noticing that some of the old pool has been retained underneath a glass floor, she remarked: “There’s the steps there that I never moved from.

"I remember there was a changing room at the back called the ‘ice box’ because it was so cold.”

Margaret said: “I remember the bars all around the side of the pool, you were meant to hook your feet around them when you were learning to swim.

"Seeing all of this is bringing back so many memories. It’s fantastic they’ve kept all of this.”

Michelle Bryans of EastSide Partnership, which runs the visitor attraction, said: “Templemore Baths has been here since 1893, it’s a big part of east Belfast. It built a real sense of community, it was where people came together.

"The story behind Templemore Baths is so significant that they made a really important decision to retain elements of the baths.

"Our role will be to invite local people in to tell that story, but most importantly listen to their stories.”

As well as the heritage space, the old major pool, a new 25m, six-lane pool and spa facilities, Templemore also has a state of the art gym with biocircuit machines that operate without weights, setting the height of your seat and level of resistance according to the preferences on your swipe card.

The three-year redevelopment of Templemore Baths was funded by Belfast City Council and The National Lottery Heritage Fund. The project was also made possible thanks to the transfer of the former Templemore Avenue Hospital site from the Department for Communities to Belfast City Council.

The leisure facilities at Templemore are managed by social enterprise Better.

For more information visit www.belfastcity.gov.uk/templemorebaths