PROJECT PROFILE ABC HEALTH & LEISURE TRUST, BELFAST
THE MODERN NEW ABC TRUST FACILITY IS HOME TO ARDOYNE BOXING CLUB, COMMUNITY FITNESS AND TRAINING FACILITIES, CAFÉ AND EVENT SPACE AND OFFICES… CONNOLLY & FEE COMPLETES A VIBRANT COMMUNITY HUB IN ARDOYNE
A new community hub combining health, fitness and vocational training under one roof has been delivered by Connolly & Fee Limited. The new facility for Ardoyne Bone Community Health & Leisure Trust (ABC Trust) has been built at the former site of St Gemma’s High School on Ardoyne Avenue in north Belfast. ABC Trust was established in 2016 and had already been occupying a portion of the old school site to provide a wide range of community activities, including a boxing club, gymnasium, event space and training for employment in the retail and care industries. The new hub was developed by the Flax Trust, which gifted the site, in collaboration with ABC Trust and Sports NI and received funding through the Urban Villages initiative supporting areas
of historic deprivation. Urban Villages is investing £35.5m in 18 capital programmes driving regeneration and community development across Ardoyne and Ballysillan, including £16.6m allocated to the ABC Hub and a Ballysillan Playing Fields project. Belfast City Council’s planning committee granted permission for an application by the Flax Trust and ABC Trust to transform the old school site in 2022. Works comprised a phased demolition of the St Gemma’s school building to facilitate construction of the new community hub in two phases. The programme included a decanting stage for existing community groups, which were moved into the completed phase one facilities prior to works commencing on phase two. Phase one commenced in May 2022 and
PROJECT TEAM: Client: The Flax Trust/Urban Villages/ Belfast City Council Main contractor: Connolly & Fee Limited Architect: The Boyd Partnership Chartered Architects LLP
Mechanical contractor: R&F Mechanical Services Limited
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