THE PUBLIC are to be consulted on the renaming of a new leisure facility in East Belfast.
Formerly known as the Robinson Centre, the leisure facility on Montgomery Road is undergoing a £20m regeneration.
The centre was named in the 1980s after former DUP leader Peter Robinson, who at the time served on Castlereagh Borough Council.
Belfast City Council had originally said the new building would retain its name. However, a motion by Sinn Féin’s Charlene O’Hara was passed by 11 votes to seven at the Council’s People and Community Committee.
Both Sinn Féin and the SDLP argued the Council had gone against its own policy, which states leisure centres can only be named after individuals who have been dead for five years, have lived in the area of the facility and whose family approves of the move.
Councillor O’Hara welcomed news that the naming of the new leisure facility at the former Robinson Centre site will go to public consultation.
The Colin representative said: “I am pleased that my motion on the naming of the leisure facility at the former Robinson Centre site has been passed at the People and Community Committee.
“The Council will now undertake a citywide consultation on the name to allow ratepayers to have their say on the name of the new facility.”
In a statement to BBC’s Nolan Show, Mr Robinson accused nationalists of double standards when it comes to naming Council facilities.
Mr Robinson referenced the controversy of renaming a play park in Newry after IRA hunger striker Raymond McCreesh.
