INFRASTRUCTURE Minister Liz Kimmins was on the Falls Road this week to learn more about community gardens that are springing up across the city.
The Minister visited the community garden at Oakman Street which started five years ago and is providing fruit, veg and herbs for local residents, as well as a much-needed green space in an urban city environment. Built on what was once waste ground, the initiative is now spreading to other streets in the Falls area where residents are converting alleyways into green spaces.
Brenda Gough from Three Sisters Community Garden Group said that besides the Minister’s attendance, the event had attracted politicians from various parties, businesses and representatives from the Department of Agriculture. “We are trying to highlight the demands that are coming from people to develop their alleyways and to develop community spaces and as you can see this garden was built on the side of the street on waste ground and we’ve been able to grow food and grow herbs and people are beginning to find somewhere where they can sit outside because these houses were never built with gardens,” she said.
“People are also experiencing social isolation. These types of places mean people are getting together, learning skills, but we need these facilities to be backed by the political structure because we’re not funded, this is all voluntary and people need classes about how to grow your own, they need upskilled.”
The hands-on attitude of those behind the project was evident during the Minister’s visit. Herbs, blackberries and apples were growing from boxes that the residents had made with the help of a local training centre and businesses. Brenda says elderly residents come along and harvest scallions and lettuce while children pick the fruit. As community gardens grow into other areas, she says friendships are being extended throughout the city.
Wildflower Alley in the Holyland area of Belfast is credited with being the first community garden in the city. Bríd Ruddy was in attendance during the minister’s visit and said the initiative started ten years ago when the south Belfast residents got security gates for their alley. Soon the alley was turned into a little green oasis.
“People began calling with us and saying we’d love to do this in our area and there are at least 30-40 similar projects of community gardens now,” she said. “So it has really developed and come along in leaps and bounds.
“In inner city areas people deserve beauty, and they need colour for their mental health. People who are having treatment for very serious illnesses come and sit in our alley. It’s peaceful and quiet. Children can’t play in the streets because of cars. Urban life is very damaging to people and very damaging to communities as no-one knows anybody and it’s very damaging for people’s mental health and physical health.
“None of these projects have any funding , people just did it themselves. It’s just been enormously helpful to people and communities and now it’s been recognised and that’s been really good.”
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