Lisburn & Castlereagh City Council have agreed to invest £51million into the project, alongside £12million from the UK Government’s Levelling Up Fund.
The DUP MP said, “The original construction of the Ice Bowl was an example of far-sighted decision making and it delivered a leisure facility that still draws visitors from right across Northern Ireland. It was the first of its kind here and is still Northern Ireland’s only Olympic-sized ice rink.
The Ice Bowl has nurtured many local figure skating champions, it is home to the Junior Belfast Giants and has hosted a number of international tenpin bowling championships. Alongside this however it can also boast of playing venue to both Bob Dylan and Van Morrison.
After nearly 40 years however the Ice Bowl needs rejuvenation, and I am delighted that residents can now look forward to a new state of the art facility. I have worked closely with party colleagues on Lisburn & Castlereagh Council to champion this project and see it finally agreed. The Council’s investment of more than £50million by Lisburn and Castlereagh City Council is boosted by more than £12million from the Government’s Levelling Up Fund. I was pleased to be involved in the process of helping secure that funding and it represents a significant commitment from our national Government.
This will be a development that is warmly welcomed by people in East Belfast and beyond. A new facility will ensure that the Ice Bowl will remain at the heart of leisure provision within Dundonald and many more people will take to the ice in the years to come