A LOCAL community group have provided some much-needed light in these darkest of times by illuminating the Grosvenor Road with Christmas illuminations.
The Grosvenor Community Centre and their community partners held a festive light switch-on ceremony on Wednesday evening.
The Covid-compliant event saw Lord Mayor Frank McCoubrey given the honour of flicking the switch to illuminate one of the key routes into the West Belfast from the city centre.
Commenting on the initiative, Grosvenor Community Centre manager, Tina Black, said: “Every year the centre has held a Grosvenor Lights Up festive event to remember those we miss, to look back on the year, to remember that we can overcome problems and to look to the future. This includes making festive decorations, helping children to express their views via creativity.
“The children also created art pieces around people they missed or admired. The programme has always been about positivity, understanding change, hope and looking forward.
“For 2020 Grosvenor Community Centre were super delighted to access small grant funding via the Belfast City Council Festive programme for illumination. This support has enabled the Grosvenor Road to become a bright and festive road over Christmas and includes lighting up of venues such as Grosvenor House Hostel, managed by the Salvation Army.
For 2020 Grosvenor Community Centre were super delighted to access small grant funding via the Belfast City Council Festive programme for illumination. This support has enabled the Grosvenor Road to become a bright and festive road over Christmas and includes lighting up of venues such as Grosvenor House Hostel, managed by the Salvation Army.
"Belfast City Council has helped this historic road, housing large residential communities, businesses and schools to shine brightly when welcoming 2021.”
The Centre thanked Belfast City Council for their help in illuminating the Grosvenor Road and paid tribute to the community groups throughout the Falls, including the Falls Residents' Association “who have been exemplary during this tough year".
The idea behind illuminating the Grosvenor Road came from Belle Black, a founding member of Grosvenor Community Centre, who sadly passed away in 2017.
Grosvenor Community Centre said that Belle “often commented on the number of Royal Victoria Hospital staff and patients who used the route, particularly those coming off or going on night shift in the winter months".
The Centre said Belle had “wanted to make the road brighter for them and for her beloved local community” and thanked “Joseph and Paul for having the agility to make Belle’s dream a reality".
The lighting is visible for all people passing on the Grosvenor Road, for the community and for those working in or going to the hospital.
Tina Black added: “This is the first year the road will be illuminated with festive street lighting and it will feel linked to Belfast City Hall being less than a mile away, this will help the area feel part of the illuminations of the city centre and the links will only get stronger.”
