Reps state that Botanic Gardens is different from other city parks
Belfast’s Botanic Gardens(Image: Philip Magowan / PressEye)
Community groups have come out strongly against proposals for 24 hour opening at Botanic Gardens.
Over the summer results from a public consultation in Belfast on extended opening in some of its most popular parks were revealed by council officers.
Mixed consultation findings showed the public favoured some form of extended opening hours in Botanic Park, Ormeau Park, and Belmont Park, but not in Falls Park and Woodvale Park.
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However, proposals for 24 hour opening trials, which Sinn Féin have been eager to implement across the board at the five parks, as well as the new Forth Meadow Greenway, have seen controversy. The DUP successfully proposed that Woodvale be “decoupled” from the exercise, while campaigners opposing 24/7 opening of Botanic Gardens are challenging consultation results. Woodvale Park has now been dropped for 24/7 hour opening proposals.
Belfast City Council however will trial a 24 hour opening for the Forth Meadow Community Greenway, without new lighting, despite a mixed response from a public consultation. Sinn Féin successfully proposed a 24 hour trial for the new greenway, which travels through North and West Belfast into the City Centre. The plan had to go to a vote, where the DUP opposed 24 hours opening across the whole stretch.
Last month Belfast council officers admitted at the People and Communities Committee that City Hall has no money or timetable for lighting to facilitate the proposed 24 hour opening of parks. No decsions have been made on any parks apart from the Forthmeadow Greenway.
At the October meeting of the same committee, held this week, representatives from the Stranmillis Neighbourhood Association, Friends of Botanic Gardens and Rugby Road Residents’ Association gave deputations regarding the pilot opening hours scheme at Botanic Gardens. While they had different proposals in terms of extended opening times, all groups were completely against 24 opening.
Geography lecturer Jonathan Harris, from the Stranmillis Neighbourhood Association, told the chamber: “The committee of the SNA is alarmed to see the report made to the (council) committee leans towards what we see as the misleading view that 24 hour opening was the majority desired outcome for Botanic Gardens. In fact the report states that 236 responses in favour of 24 hour opening were recorded, which only equates to 36 percent of the total of 652 responses. That is a minority view, that 24 hour opening is desired.
“We stand by our collective assessment that extending the opening hours of Belfast Botanic Gardens to 6.30pm during the Winter months only would be of substantial benefit to the residents of the area, to businesses located there and to those who work and study close by, without creating undue hazards or disturbing the environment. I want to underline that we are firmly opposed to the idea of 24 hour opening.”
Adrian Walsh, of Friends of Botanic Gardens said at the meeting: “We believe any extension to current opening hours is inappropriate for Botanic Gardens.” He said: “Belfast Botanic Gardens has the same opening hours as Botanic Gardens worldwide – dawn to dusk.
“These times are adhered to by Botanic Gardens in order to maintain the natural growing cycles of plants, to protect the historical buildings that house the indoor plants, and to protect biodiversity of plants and wildlife in the wider gardens. Using artificial light after dark to facilitate extended opening hours, even for a couple of hours each night in Winter, would disrupt the natural growth cycle of plants and add additional stress.
“Belfast Botanic Gardens are fundamentally different from the parks that were originally included in the consultation. They are the only Botanic Gardens in Northern Ireland, they are historically important to the City of Belfast, created on the current site in 1828 and celebrating the 200th anniversary in three years.”
He said the council consultation was “only a snapshot of views on extended opening” and asked for Botanic Gardens to be removed, as Woodvale Park has been, from the current process of extended opening hours.
Bronagh Hinds, celebrated Women’s Rights and peace process advocate, and Rugby Road Residents’ Association rep, told the chamber: “We concur with Friends of Botanic on dawn to dusk, and no extension of those terms.”
She told the committee: “It falls on you to oversee not just the provision of leisure for the citizens of Belfast, but also the protection of the rights of nature and the environment in the city.”
She asked: “Do you privilege people over nature? Or do each receive equal due regard? What is the role of your stewardship of Botanic Gardens in this?”
She said: “The last minute addition of Northern Ireland’s only Botanical Gardens to a general survey about 24 hour opening was a travesty, and the survey failed to take account of the specific nature and fundamental difference of the Botanic Gardens to Belfast City parks. The purpose of a Botanical Garden is to have a documented collection of living plants for the purpose of scientific research, conservation, display, and education.
“For good reason, the opening hours of Botanic Gardens here and elsewhere is dawn to dusk, to maximise protection of plants and habitat from artificial light and other damage.”
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