What if Belfast was a National Park City?

Conor McKinney is the founder of Wild Belfast and a local wildlife activist / conservationist;

What if? is a powerful question. In a time of myriad health, climate, ecological and social crises it can provide hope, facilitate collaboration, provide the foundations of a new story that we can create for, and with, each other. “National Parks” are defined differently around the world, but typically they are special places where we have a better relationship with nature, culture and heritage and can enjoy and develop ourselves. A National Park City is a city-wide vision, a joyful insurgency, to shift our collective understanding of what and who a city is for. A National Park City is not a National Park, but it is inspired by them.

Belfast is a city like no other. It’s a city we should be proud of. Few places in the world can combine the rich urban culture we have with access to hills, rivers, forests, parks and the sea. The city has a unique balance of people and places that has inspired our movement to ask “What if Belfast was a National Park City?” . What if we had a city-wide community acting together to make life better for people, wildlife and nature.

We want your help to create a vision that is unique to Belfast. This is not a process reserved for policymakers. It’s not a vision that is handed down, it has to be created from the ground up. This process is open to every one of us, to residents, community groups, schools and sports clubs; whether you will call the city home for a short while or whether you were born here. We all know of some of the challenges that we face, but we should also recognise the potential that we know this city has.

Asking “What if Belfast was a National Park City?” would help us celebrate the excellent work already going on across the city and realise the potential that abounds it. “What if” Belfast became known not just for it’s murals and history, but as a global leader in connecting people with nature. To become the first city on the island of Ireland to join the likes of London, Adelaide and Chatanooga in wearing the badge of a National Park City with pride?

To create this vision we want to hear from communities across Belfast. To learn and celebrate what is already happening throughout the city, and to reimagine how we could do things better; to ask ourselves “What if?”:

What if we restored nature throughout our parks?
What if there was more space for reconciliation?
What if we had more green space to foster community building?
What if more murals celebrated shared heritage?
What if our children had more natural spaces to play?

As a city we have a collective story to tell; that story starts with conversation. Join us in asking the question “What if”, it might just be the start of something extraordinary.

We will be running sessions at the following locations:

City Centre Conversation – in 2 Royal Avenue Monday 20th October 6.00-8.00pm
West Conversation – in Grosvenor Community Centre, 162 Grosvenor Road – Wednesday 22nd October: 6.00-8.00PM
North Conversation – in The Duncairn, Duncairn Avenue – Thursday 23rd October: 6.00-8.00PM
South Conversation – in Reboot Gaming Cafe, 92 Lisburn Road – Monday 27th October: 6.00-8.00pm
East Conversation – in Dundela Social Club, Wilgar Street – Thursday 30th October: 6.00-8.00pm

Please register for free here…