Connswater Community Greenway (CCG) is an urban greenspace regeneration project in east Belfast transforming a blighted public space into a community asset. It consists of improvement works to a 9 km linear park connecting open spaces along the Connswater, Knock and Loop rivers. Alongside the recovery of neglected ecosystems, supporting residents’ health and wellbeing was a core objective of the regeneration project from the outset. The Greenway passes through 29 electoral wards, seven of which are within the top 25% most deprived wards in Northern Ireland. Community events and activities were organised throughout the project to create a sense of community and foster ownership of the greenspace, such as community clean-ups, volunteer gardening and walking groups.
The Greenway regeneration was a complex project with multiple partners and funding sources. The project was initiated from a 2005 Needs Analysis carried out by the East Belfast Partnership, and was later expanded to include significant flood alleviation measures after serious floods in 2007 and 2008.(1) The broad social purpose of the CCG is ambitious, as explained by a project evaluation:
‘In short, the Greenway exists to bring about dramatic and positive change to the physical environment and to people’s opportunities, health and lifestyles. People and communities which, for generations, have turned away from the dirty and neglected Connswater River system now have the opportunity to return and make the most of what has become a living landmark and a valuable, life-enhancing asset’ (2).
This project is featured as one of our healthy urban development case studies.
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