Belfast’s leisure facilities will now offer discounts for single-parent families, a first for Northern Ireland, promoting inclusivity and access.
Belfast: Exciting news for single parents! The city is rolling out discounted memberships at its leisure facilities, which is a big deal for Northern Ireland.
This change was approved during a council meeting where SDLP councillor Gary McKeown pushed for it. He pointed out that single-parent families were paying the same fees as those with two parents, which just didn’t seem fair.
The council had a private session last month to discuss this, and they decided to create a new pricing category for single-parent families. It’s all about making leisure activities more accessible for everyone.
While we don’t have the exact pricing details yet, it’s good to know that the council is looking to keep costs manageable. They’re planning a smaller increase for family memberships in the coming years, which is a relief.
Interestingly, the leisure centres are managed by GLL, a social enterprise that puts profits back into the facilities. So, it’s nice to see that the focus is on community well-being.
After the meeting, McKeown expressed his surprise that single-parent families weren’t getting any discounts. He emphasized that all families should have access to affordable leisure activities, especially with the financial pressures many are facing.
He also mentioned a previous issue where kids were being charged for Junior Pay and Play cards, which should have been free. It’s great to see that the council is working to fix these kinds of problems.
Other councillors chimed in, with some noting that Belfast is leading the way in offering this kind of membership. It’s a step in the right direction for inclusivity in leisure activities.
