BOTANIC Avenue, one of Belfast’s busiest streets, will be car-free for an afternoon for a family friendly festival exploring the possibility of the road being pedestrianised in the future.
The street will be transformed from noon to 3pm on Sunday, November 20 for the new Open Botanic community festival, which brings together local people from four adjoining neighbourhoods, which form one of the most diverse areas of the city.
This event is part of a wider discussion with Belfast City Council and its Bolder Vision Strategy, which includes plans to redevelop Shaftesbury Square.
“We want people from this area to have a say in shaping the future of this part of the city. Often as areas are redeveloped, local voices are not considered. There has been significant discussion around making Shaftesbury Square more accessible, safe and friendly and it’s important that people are heard,” said Briege Arthurs, CEO of Forward South Partnership.
The Open Botanic Festival seeks to explore and test the notion of a codesigned shared space connecting four Neighbourhood Renewal communities – Donegall Pass, Sandy Row, Donegall Road and the Holyland area up to Shaftesbury Square.
These community groups are working collaboratively with Queen’s University Belfast students to design a range of kiosks as part of the festival.
There will be a temporary cycle path on one side of Botanic Avenue with a range of activities including music, workshops, food, health and community stalls. Businesses in the area have been invited to take part.
Forward South has worked in close collaboration with experts in Architecture and Planning at Queen’s University Belfast. They carried out extensive research into the issues affecting this part of the city last year.
Senior Lecturer Dr Agustina Martire, Dr Laura Michael and a team from Estates and Public Engagement at Queen’s University, published the ‘Open Botanic’ report into the area.
Dr Martire explained that this event could be a catalyst for shaping the future of Botanic Avenue and how people will live in a more environmentally friendly and pedestrianised area.
“It’s been eye-opening and amazing to work with the community groups. So much is going on in this vibrant space but there’s a perception by local people that they don’t have the power to have a say in their own area. This project is giving them a voice in their future,” she said.
“One of the main issues highlighted is a lack of space for people to walk or cycle. Parked cars and heavy traffic leave very little room for people to navigate Botanic Avenue on foot or bike.
"It’s particularly difficult for people with young children, prams or in wheelchairs. Other cities in Europe have begun to pedestrianise busy streets and research has shown that it actually boosts trade and footfall. It’s good for business and it’s good for people.”
The community groups involved in the project have appreciated the opportunity to give their views on a variety of improvements to Botanic Avenue.
Jamie-Lee Peden, a parent support worker from Belfast South Community Resource in Sandy Row, said the residents were able to talk about both the positives and negatives of the area.
“It’s meant an awful lot for the people to have a say in the future of the area, not just for themselves but for their children. Many people worry about the traffic as well as the anti-social behaviour and will avoid Botanic Avenue because of this,” she said.
The group are putting the finishing touches to their plans for their kiosk at the Open Botanic Festival.
Jamie-Lee added: “When our group thought of the area, they thought about the history and that led them to come up with the idea to recreate their Granny’s home. We are hoping to focus on storytelling and might also do a recipe swap."
The group from the Village plan to do a well-being and mindfulness space while Donegall Pass will be holding an apple pressing workshop to make their own apple juice and the Holylands will focus on recycling.
This project was organised by Forward South Partnership in collaboration with Queen’s University Belfast and is supported by the Department for Communities, Northern Ireland Housing Executive, Public Health Agency and Ormeau Business Park.
