Ben Lowry: Those of us who have gardens have been fortunate to be able to enjoy the Spring during lockdown

One reason I opposed closure of city parks as soon as I heard about them in parts of the UK is that I once lived in a flat in Belfast that had no outside access, not even a balcony.
By Ben Lowry
Published 11th Apr 2020, 17:19 BST
Updated 12th Apr 2020, 13:12 BST
Members of the public exercising in Ormeau Park, Belfast on Sunday afternoon, April 5. Like Stormont grounds, it has not been closed during lockdown. Photo by Kelvin Boyes / Press EyeMembers of the public exercising in Ormeau Park, Belfast on Sunday afternoon, April 5. Like Stormont grounds, it has not been closed during lockdown. Photo by Kelvin Boyes / Press Eye
Members of the public exercising in Ormeau Park, Belfast on Sunday afternoon, April 5. Like Stormont grounds, it has not been closed during lockdown. Photo by Kelvin Boyes / Press Eye

The only relief on a hot day was to open the living room window, but that looked out on to a busy road and so was unpleasant.

Several families with kids lived in the block. It must be awful for them now, amid the fine weather.

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It is good that Stormont, Ormeau and other parks have been kept open and that the authorities did not do the lazy thing of locking the gates. Better to monitor, and break up, people who ignore social distancing rules, than close such an outlet of open space for everyone.

It was striking to read the survey this week that found that those of us aged over 45 are most likely to be content under lockdown. I imagine that that is partly because we are more likely to have gardens. I am fortunate in that I left the flat and can now work from a room that opens into a garden, so I have watched up close the emerging Spring. It is a pity in a way to think that, after people around the world have come closer to nature, cities will soon return to pollution and traffic noise.

When I last visited elderly relatives outside Belfast in mid March it was wintry and getting dark and they had a roaring fire on. Now the super long days feel like summer.

I think people should be encouraged to visit older relatives and talk through the window. At first I feared such a concession might be widely abused but now I think the great bulk of people would be responsible. It could be accompanied by adverts that said: ‘Don’t be tempted to go inside, you might infect the person you love.’

• Ben Lowry (@BenLowry2) is News Letter deputy editor

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• Ben Lowry: If death toll ends lower than feared it will just mean we’ve been lucky

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Related topics:Ben LowrySpringBelfastNorthern Ireland