A FEASIBILITY study has been launched on transforming parts of Lenadoon into a greenway.
It comes on the back of last year's Making Life Better in Lenadoon report – a plan to tackle key issues impacting lives in the area between now until 2030. Main issues included green spaces and the environment across Lenadoon.
On Tuesday, a launch took place in Glen Community Complex. Among the large crowd in attendance were local people and a wide range of statutory bodies, elected representatives and community activists.
The Feasibility Study was commissioned by Belfast City Council and carried out by the Walkwheelcycle Trust.
Perla Mansour who conducted the Feasibility Study Report – which included several site visits in the locality and consultations with local people, school children and members of the Lenadoon Greenway Steering Group – put on a PowerPoint presentation of her study.
She outlined local Greenway sites identified, namely Colin Glen Forest Park, Half Moon Lake, Lenadoon Community Park and the Sarsfields GAC.
"Lenadoon has significant potential to develop a connected, accessible and nature-rich community greenway network by building upon its existing parks and green spaces and addressing the gaps between them," she explained.
"This is a project that comes from the community. There is a lot of drive and passion about it and I have learnt a lot from engaging with the community and I can see their perspective and vision they want for the area."
Paul Niblock from the Lenadoon Greenway Steering Group displayed a creative and imaginative presentation of other locations in the neighbourhood where there was potential for future environmental improvements and allotments that could be utilised and developed weekly by local seniors, adults with special needs, school children and members of local youth groups.
Michael Doherty of Lenadoon Community Forum thanked everyone for their attendance and asked the statutory bodies present to invest and resource the planned initiatives to maximise access to outdoor facilities and green spaces in and around Lenadoon.
