North Belfast residents and local community figures are calling for urgent action regarding Loughside Recreation Centre, which has remained closed to the public since the pandemic. The closure has sparked significant controversy, particularly regarding a lack of basic facilities for those using the surrounding pitches.
Craig Frampton, who worked at Loughside Recreation Centre for 38 years until 2021, voiced serious concerns about the state of the site and the impact on users. He claims that children and adults attending events at the pitches have been forced to use the bushes for toilets because they cannot access the facilities inside the building.
“The pitches have been improved, the all-weather pitch which was closed for over 30 years has been done up. But people using it have no access to a toilet, which I think is a bit primitive,” Mr. Frampton said. “I’ve seen kids having to go into the bushes to go to the toilet. I’ve seen adults having to go to the toilet up against the building—it’s absolutely ridiculous.”
Decades of Neglect Claimed
Mr. Frampton alleges that the site has been deliberately run down over the past three decades. He noted that before the closure, the centre offered no classes, no summer schemes, and no aerobics or fitness training, describing it as ‘a bit like a pub with no beer.’ He pointed the finger at Belfast City Council for 30 years of neglect, stating that when Greenwich Leisure Limited (GLL) took over in 2015, ‘they did absolutely nothing.’
Currently, the centre is staffed, but the public is not permitted access to most of the building. Local football teams, including Loughside FC, use two grass pitches and have access to changing and toilet facilities at the rear. Crusaders FC also use the car park and have installed their own 3G pitch on leased land.
Mr. Frampton argues that if part of the building is accessible to a football team, the rest of the community should also be granted access. He fears the council plans to flatten the current building and replace it only with football changing rooms and a small committee room, rather than upgrading the centre for broader community use. This lack of facilities is compounded by ongoing leak issues affecting the main hall at the nearby Grove Leisure Centre.
Council Responds
In response, Belfast City Council confirmed they are currently delivering a £105 million Leisure Transformation Programme across the city. While Loughside Recreation Centre is not included in the current transformation phase, the Council is working to develop future options for the facility.
“Any decisions on the future of these centres will be taken by elected members as part of this review, following consultation with a wide range of stakeholders including local residents,” a council spokesperson stated.
The council clarified the arrangement with the football clubs, noting that a longstanding partnership allows Loughside FC the use of two grass pitches, plus changing and toilet facilities. However, the lease granted to Crusaders FC for their 3G pitch does not include access to the facilities within the Loughside Recreation Centre building. Regarding Grove Wellbeing Centre, the council confirmed ongoing maintenance is being carried out to manage roof leaks, though the sports hall remains open.