Belfast City Council is considering extending park opening hours, with a focus on Falls, Woodvale, and Ormeau Parks. Residents in South Belfast are advocating for Botanic Gardens to be included in the pilot program.
Residents in South Belfast are urging for the Botanic Gardens to be considered for 24-hour opening as part of a consultation process that will encompass all public parks in Belfast . This initiative stems from Belfast City Council's plans to conduct a community consultation on potential 24-hour opening hours for Falls, Woodvale, and Ormeau Parks.
At the February full council meeting, councillors representing the Botanic District Electoral Area successfully proposed including Botanic Gardens in this consultation. Over the summer, consultations and engagement plans for the pilot opening hours across these four parks will be developed and carried out in the autumn of this year. This development follows a separate consultation underway regarding the opening hours for the newly constructed Forth Meadow Greenway, set to conclude on February 26th. The online form for this consultation can be found at https://yoursay.belfastcity.gov.uk/fmg-opening-hours.Sinn Féin Councillor Claire Canavan expressed her satisfaction at the commencement of the Forth Meadow Greenway consultation, stating that the concept of 24-hour park opening hours had been discussed for quite some time. She emphasized the importance of actively engaging residents, particularly those residing near parks and open spaces. Canavan highlighted the significance of reaching out to all residents, acknowledging that not everyone has access to online platforms, and welcomed the leaflet drop initiative undertaken to ensure wider participation. Meanwhile, Sinn Féin Councillor Conor McKay expressed his support for exploring increased accessibility to public parks, potentially leading to extended hours. He acknowledged requests from the Stranmillis Neighbourhood Association regarding the inclusion of Botanic Gardens in the consultation. McKay passionately advocated for the inclusion, emphasizing the park's role as a vital transportation link connecting the Ormeau Road to the Lisburn Road, the University to the PEC. He argued that excluding Botanic Gardens from the pilot would be a missed opportunity.His proposal to include Botanic Gardens in the future consultation was seconded by Green Councillor Áine Groogan, who underscored the park's potential for 24-hour operation due to its role as an active travel corridor. Groogan argued that investing in active travel infrastructure while limiting park hours would be illogical. She highlighted the success of Central Park in New York City, which remains open 24/7, suggesting that Belfast could achieve similar results with a bit of imagination. She also stressed the need to be mindful of the ecological and biodiversity implications of any lighting installations.SDLP Councillor Gary McKeown expressed his support for incorporating community voices into the city's redesign and welcomed the work being done on Ormeau Park. He emphasized the importance of connecting the park to the city center through a pedestrian and cycling bridge from the Gas Works, ensuring its accessibility for residents. McKeown also expressed support for extending Botanic Gardens' hours, potentially to 24 hours, highlighting the need to invest in cycling infrastructure across the city, albeit acknowledging the slow progress in this area.In March 2020, a council committee endorsed recommendations from a report proposing a pilot program for 24-hour openings at Ormeau, Falls, and Woodvale Parks during the summer. However, the pilot was ultimately postponed due to the COVID-19 pandemic and subsequent restrictions that hindered officers' ability to engage with local groups. Botanic Gardens did experience a period of 24-hour operation during the first wave of COVID-19, but this experiment was marred by anti-social behavior stemming from late-night and early-morning gatherings, leading to police intervention
BOTANIC GARDENS BELFAST PARKS OPENING HOURS COMMUNITY CONSULTATION ACTIVE TRAVEL COVID-19
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