The Ormeau Parklet can help firms with physical distancing

Belfast Buildings Trust, Queen’s University Belfast, OGU Architects, MMAS Architects, the Department for Infrastructure, Belfast City Council, and four local hospitality businesses, are partnering on the project.

The Ormeau Parklet has temporarily turned a number of on-street parking spaces into outdoor space. Pedestrians and businesses can use the designed pavement area to help with physical distancing. It is being delivered as a collaborative partnership to test a new way of achieving civic projects across the charity, private, and public sectors. The approach champions the importance of quality design for Belfast’s public spaces and includes ongoing engagement and research during the trial to build evidence for other possible placemaking projects in the City. Partners hope that the Ormeau Parklet will be a model that is used elsewhere in Northern Ireland.

Joanne Corr, Chair of Belfast Buildings Trust, said: “Belfast Buildings Trust works to make Belfast’s authentic buildings and places relevant for the City’s people. Through our Successful Belfast initiative, we explore new ways of involving people in doing that. We believe that Belfast’s people and places deserve quality and we’re willing to take risks to achieve that. The reaction to the Ormeau Parklet already shows what’s possible when civic partnerships are willing to work in new ways that combine civic and community action, creative design practice, and research.”

Chair of Belfast City Council’s Strategic Policy & Resources Committee, Cllr Christina Black continued: “The Ormeau Parklet initiative is a great example of what can be achieved when statutory and civic partners work together to be innovative and trial new ideas, which is particularly important in light of the ongoing challenges facing businesses as they navigate the ongoing pandemic. I’m pleased that Council has been able to support Belfast Buildings Trust to deliver the initiative through our Covid19 Revitalisation funding. It demonstrates a local, best practice approach to place-making that not only creates more space for people but also shows how businesses are diversifying and adapting their premises to help adhere to the current regulations.”

Minister for Infrastructure, Nichola Mallon MLA, commented: “Since becoming Minister I have made clear my desire to change the way we use our roads and streets and make sure they work for the whole community. I am delighted that my Department is able to support this initiative and I’d like to commend the Belfast Buildings Trust, my officials and all the partners on the amazing job they have done to develop and deliver this innovative collaborative project. Living with the Covid pandemic has meant we need to ensure that people who meet can maintain social distancing while supporting local businesses.

“These parklets not only achieve this but with the inclusion of cycle parking, provide opportunities to come to these areas by active travel. I hope this project will encourage more people to get out and enjoy their local environment, the active travel experience and in doing so support our local traders.”

Professor Ian Greer, Vice-Chancellor of Queen’s University Belfast, also added: “Queen’s University is delighted to be part of the informed decision-making of this initiative in the Ormeau area of Belfast, using already tried and tested research from our academics, Dr Rachel O’Grady and Dr Agustina Martire. Queen’s is taking a leading role in this project, with student researchers from the StreetSpace project compiling constructive data from local businesses and residents to feed into the success of this project, which can also contribute to future initiatives, at a time when we are all learning to adapt and change to circumstances around us.”

A message from the Editor:

Thank you for reading this story on our website. While I have your attention, I also have an important request to make of you.

In order for us to continue to provide high quality and trusted local news on this free-to-read site, I am asking you to also please purchase a copy of our newspaper whenever you are able to do so.

Our journalists are highly trained and our content is independently regulated by IPSO to some of the most rigorous standards in the world. But being your eyes and ears comes at a price. So we need your support more than ever to buy our newspapers during this crisis.

With the coronavirus lockdown having a major impact on many of our local valued advertisers - and consequently the advertising that we receive - we are more reliant than ever on you helping us to provide you with news and information by buying a copy of our newspaper when you can safely.

You can also enjoy unlimited access to the best news from across Northern Ireland and the UK by subscribing to newsletter.co.uk

With a digital subscription, you can read more than five articles, see fewer ads, enjoy faster load times, and get access to exclusive newsletters and content. Visit https://www.newsletter.co.uk/subscriptions now to sign up.

Thank you