“Now that trust has been developed, we are able to do more direct, harder-hitting initiatives that allow communities to grapple with the past and discuss enduring divisions and trying to address them,” she said. Meanwhile in Londonderry, the Bogside and Brandywell Initiative saw progress, with the Dogleg Gates in the Fountain estate and Bishop Street now open 24/7 for the first time in 40 years.ĭevelopment worker Kyra Reynolds said they had to start from scratch to build trust between residents on either side of the divide. “It is exciting times for both communities and we look forward to the next number of months and years, seeing it come to fruition,” he said. Project nanager Seamus Corr said the regeneration of Finlay’s site is bringing communities together. Work is also ongoing at the former Moyard flashpoint on Upper Springfield Road. In west Belfast, the Black Mountain Shared Space Project has secured £6.4m of Peace IV funding to develop a shared space facility on the Finlay’s site between Springfield Park, Ballygomartin and Springmartin. “They are now spending time there as part of the course, having a positive impact on them and the wider community as it is letting people know it’s safe to do so.” “We know course participants who hadn’t ventured into each other’s areas in 50 years as they were intimidated out,” he said. Project manager Rab McCallum said there is now more meeting between the two sides of the community in the area. Nearby, the Housing Executive has completed environmental improvement works in the Woodvale/Columbia street area, with a new red brick peace wall to be installed on Crumlin Rd and new decorative peace gates to replace the solid barrier.
While the barrier remains, the group hopes the scheme will proceed soon. The Twaddell Ardoyne Shankill Communities in Transition (TASCIT) group is working to see it replaced with new automated vehicular and pedestrian access gates. There has also been progress in the Ardoyne/Woodvale area where the Flax Street gates leading to the Crumlin Road have been blocked by a solid barrier for 40 years. Now they are not only using the front of their homes but are getting new gardens and the whole area has been opened up and completely transformed.” “People living at this peace wall couldn’t use their front doors as they were opening on to a barrier.
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