Work is now expected to start in November on a £2.4m upgrade of Armagh’s Orchard Leisure Centre.
For ABC Council – which owns the Folly Lane venue – has now gone out to tender to source a contractor to see the work through.
When the scheme was last mentioned publicly at council, it was stated then that the works would see the lifespan of the Orchard Leisure Centre extended as efforts continue to develop a replacement.
The original price tag when reported in February was given as £1.8m, with the investment rubber-stamped by council in October 2024.
Now a tender has gone live with the cost of works estimated in the region of £2.4 million.
The upgrade will centre on two key areas.
The contract is for the provision of the refurbishment of the existing Vitality Suite within Orchard Leisure Centre. This would include the ‘strip-out’ of the existing suite, forming new partitions, floor, ceiling and wall finishes. A new sanarium, plunge pools and showers would also be installed.
Across the whole centre, the project will also involve a mechanical and electrical services upgrade throughout the facility.
Details of what was required and the reasoning had been given to council’s community and wellbeing committee sitting in February.
“The investment into Orchard Leisure Centre is required to maintain the facility and to ensure operational viability,” a report to committee confirmed at that time.
“Orchard is now coming to the end of its useful life and this programme of work will help extend lifespan of the building for another five to seven years.
“During this time work on the replacement leisure centre is expected to progress.”
At the same time, the Vitality Suite upgrade was described as the “biggest customer facing piece of work”, including the installation of the sanarium, hot tub/cold plunge, new showers, heated seating and new wall and floor coverings.
The Orchard Leisure Centre had been experiencing significant and well-publicised difficulties when the decision to invest came about.
There had been complaints about the condition of the leisure centre and the facilities available to the public.
Previously, no decision had been taken into whether or not a full or partial closure would be required to facilitate developments.
But assurances were given that, should a full closure be needed, officers would provide a “full update to staff, unions and elected members”.
A spokesperson for ABC Council told Armagh I this week that it was still not known what arrangements would be in place for carrying out the project at the Orchard Leisure Centre until a contractor is appointed and a works programme agreed.
But that in itself, certainly, is now a step closer.
The deadline for receipt of tenders, meanwhile, has been given as August 24.
It is hoped to have an appointment made shortly after in the hope of having work begin at the end of November this year.
The contract is for a 12-month period, with a view, therefore, to having all the necessary elements completed and the newly-upgraded Orchard Leisure Centre back in full operation by the end of November 2027.
