HomeConnswater Community Greenway
The Connswater Community Greenway is an exciting new project to create a 9km linear park through east Belfast. It will reconnect the existing Connswater, Knock and Loop Rivers and create new leisure and recreation areas for the 40,000 people who live nearby.
The scheme, which has been developed by the East Belfast Partnership and funded by the council, the Big Lottery Fund and the Department for Social Development, represents a £32 million investment in the local area.
It is hoped that the Greenway will act as a catalyst for wider investment in east Belfast and encourage residents to make better use of their local open spaces. At present, much of the parkland along the site is under used, because it is widely considered to be inaccessible, unsafe and unattractive.
Read the latest update on the Connswater Community Greenway Scheme (11 May 2012)
Benefits
The Connswater Community Greenway will have many physical benefits for the local area, including:- a 9km linear park, complete with special 'wildlife corridor'
- 16km of new walking and cycling routes
- 30 new or improved bridges
- 5km of restored water courses
- six tourism and heritage trails
- several landmark public art pieces
- a civic square, located near the Holywood Arches.
- Watch the Connswater Community Greenway videos
- Download map of Connswater Community Greenway (JPEG- 2.5MB)
Location
The Greenway will follow the course of the Loop, Knock and Connswater rivers. It will include the following open spaces, as well as the Cregagh Glen area:- Orangefield Park
- King George V Playing Fields
- Victoria Park
- Dixon Playing Fields
- Elmgrove Hollow
- Flora Street Walkway
- Connswater Shopping Centre
- Holywood Arches.
At Dixon Playing Fields and Orangefield Park sections, we have allocated new areas for community events and are working with the project contractors to help protect the local environment, including wildlife such as kingfishers and badgers.
As part of a flood allevation scheme, we're also moving the river course in this area slightly, near to Orangefield Lane. This will help protect houses in the area from flooding. Although this will mean removing some of the trees in the area, we'll be planting new trees to replace them.
If you are interested in exploring the area further, visit the Connswater Community Greenway website to download a trails guide and map.
