Barr + Wray makes a splash

Hotel, Sport & Leisure Tue, Mar 22, 2016 5:16 PM

Barr + Wray has gone to great lengths to deliver Northern Ireland’s first Olympic-sized swimming pool.

Bangor’s brand new leisure centre now features the 50m, 10 lane swimming pool following a 30 month construction programme.

Redundant buildings on the former Bangor Castle estate site were carefully dismantled and a historic Victorian walled garden was retained.
Aqua-leisure providers Barr + Wray were awarded the £2.65 million contract by main contractor Farrans Construction.

The Renfrewshire based water treatment specialists are highly experienced in delivering this type of facility having been responsible for the London 2012 temporary pools.

Barr + Wray fitted Bangor’s competition pool along with a diving pool and a 25m x 20m leisure pool which includes a top of the range wave machine.

Visitors will be also able to relax in two spa pools while youngsters can enjoy more child-friendly features including water slides and a pirate ship.

Barr + Wray also provided high end filtered water supplies to control the flume rides and water play structures.
A building management system was installed to alert the centre’s management when filters need to be backwashed, which will then proceed automatically.

The system will also inform staff when to order necessary chemicals by monitoring the status of each pump, the flow rate of each system, the pressure across  filter vessels, the level of water in the storage and balance tanks and the status of the town’s drainage system.

The new eco friendly leisure centre will recycle 6,800m² rainwater each year from the roof to use within the building.

Alan Cullen, project manager at Barr + Wray said: “Barr + Wray are extremely proud to have delivered Northern Ireland’s first Olympic-sized swimming pool.

“We are seeing a lot of interest for this type of project across the UK following the 2012 games.

“The pools and water features are a great addition to this exciting new leisure centre and we are sure visitors will enjoy the up-to-date facilities.”

Bangor Leisure Centre also has two squash courts, a large gymnasium, a kids club area, synthetic pitches, a sports hall and a restaurant for visitors.