'Happy days at Seaburn, met friends for life' - your memories as Sunderland centre is torn down

Playing tennis, taking the kids and making priceless memories - you've been sharing your favourite moments from life at the Seaburn Centre.
Work to demolish the Seaburn Centre continues.Work to demolish the Seaburn Centre continues.
Work to demolish the Seaburn Centre continues.

Demolition work on the building is continuing this week after being halted at the end of 2017, due to a nesting group of starlings. An ecology survey had to be carried out before work could continue.

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Read more: Seaburn Centre demolition delayed - by nesting starlings

The centre opened in the mid-1980s, but closed in March after Sunderland City Council said it was "no longer commercially viable".

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Pop-up attractions, including an outdoor cinema, restaurants and cycle hubs form part of proposals approved by councillors in April, to enhance tourism opportunities in the city.

These plans are aimed at keeping the site in use until permanent plans are lodged with the council.

As parts of the building are torn apart by machinery, dozens of you took a trip down memory lane to share some of your stories of visiting the Seaburn Centre as a child, with your own children, and in groups of friends.

Work to demolish the Seaburn Centre continues.Work to demolish the Seaburn Centre continues.
Work to demolish the Seaburn Centre continues.

Here are some of your memories from social media:

Darrin Forse: "Putting the sound system in with my dad when it first opened."

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Alison Snaith: "Happy days at Seaburn! Met friends for life."

Marie Harper: "Aw no so sad this was my grandad's workplace, he's no longer with us."

You've been sharing your memories of visiting the Seaburn Centre down the years.You've been sharing your memories of visiting the Seaburn Centre down the years.
You've been sharing your memories of visiting the Seaburn Centre down the years.

Anthony Griffiths: "Soft play thing when I was little, and always went in when the airshow was on."

Pam Broadbent: "My youngest daughter took gymnastic classes there late 80s whilst my eldest did karate."

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Susan Dobson: "OMG how many memories do we have from here. WOW sessions when kids were young. Formed great friendships and healthy mums."

Kevin Makepeace: "Got married there in 1991."

The remains of the centre.The remains of the centre.
The remains of the centre.

Ness Hutchinson:"The Sunderland football team after their open-top bus."

Joanne Barker: "Lots of fond memories of Seaburn Centre. Playing on the soft play sessions, Short tennis and taking part in youth sessions with young people. It's a shame."

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Tom Booth: "Five-a-side every week for a few years. The odd game of badminton .How sport centres become redundant is beyond me .Not sending the right message to the public."

Gary Ablett: "My fondest memory was going here for swimming and the old wave pool."

Steve Duncan: "I remember playing badminton as a kid there, then years later doing Martial Arts festivals for Cancer Research. It was a great venue."

Ali Ahmed: "My sister's wedding was arranged there, gonna miss you Seaburn Centre."