The Bangor Aurora Aquatic & Leisure Complex was opened to the public on the 23 March 2013 as one of a number of London 2012 Olympic Games legacy projects. The centrepiece of the complex is a 50x25m FINA international standard pool, the first of its kind in Northern Ireland, which can be sub-divided into three by the raising of steel clad booms, which are recessed into the base of the pool. The construction made use of a variety of structural materials including concrete, steelwork and timber, with each material chosen to provide a durable, robust and aesthetically pleasing structure. The sustainability objectives were achieved with the maximisation of energy efficiency and the effective management of water consumption, along with a reduction in CO2 emissions through a number of innovative features.
The wave-formed glulam timber roof structure spans over 43m, making it one of the largest glulam timber projects ever constructed in the UK. Since the opening, it has already had a significant positive impact on the wider community and, in particular, those elite swimmers with ambitions to compete at regional, national and international levels.