Work on new visitor centre under way at Belfast City Cemetery

Construction of a new state-of-the-art visitor centre at Belfast City Cemetery has begun as part of an ambitious £2.3 million heritage project.
Chair of Belfast City Council’s Strategic Policy and Resources Committee, Councillor Christina Black joins Lord Mayor of Belfast Alderman Frank McCoubrey and Mukesh Sharma, Chair of The National Lottery Heritage Fund in Northern Ireland to mark work starting on a new visitor centre at Belfast City Cemetery.Chair of Belfast City Council’s Strategic Policy and Resources Committee, Councillor Christina Black joins Lord Mayor of Belfast Alderman Frank McCoubrey and Mukesh Sharma, Chair of The National Lottery Heritage Fund in Northern Ireland to mark work starting on a new visitor centre at Belfast City Cemetery.
Chair of Belfast City Council’s Strategic Policy and Resources Committee, Councillor Christina Black joins Lord Mayor of Belfast Alderman Frank McCoubrey and Mukesh Sharma, Chair of The National Lottery Heritage Fund in Northern Ireland to mark work starting on a new visitor centre at Belfast City Cemetery.

Dating back to the 1860s, the cemetery is one of Belfast’s most historically significant sites where some of its most influential figures are buried including Edward Harland (shipbuilder), Margaret Byers (philanthropist) and Sir William Pirrie (businessman).

The new centre is a key part of the project which aims to protect and enhance the existing heritage of the cemetery and ensure current and future generations are able to access and understand its fascinating history.

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Funding has been provided by The National Lottery Heritage Fund and Belfast City Council.

Alongside the new visitor centre, the cemetery’s listed assets are being restored, new interpretive signs will be installed and new technology will be introduced to help visitors navigate the vast site. A comprehensive activity programme is also being developed to attract more visitors in future through guided tours, schools programmes, workshops and events.

Lord Mayor of Belfast Alderman Frank McCoubrey said: “There is a wealth of history and heritage within the walls of City Cemetery so I’m delighted to see work getting under way on the new visitor centre. It will be key to attracting more visitors and transforming how people interact with the cemetery, helping to unlock its many stories.”

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