Plans to fly Orange Order flags outside Belfast’s Grand Central Station to celebrate the new name for part of a road have been criticised for clashing with hopes to make the area “welcoming”.
A stretch of Durham Street is to be officially renamed Boyne Bridge Place, to mark the site of the former Boyne Bridge, which was demolished last year as work got underway on a new public realm outside Grand Central Station.
The £340m travel hub opened its doors last September, but the demolishing of Boyne Bridge caused protests among residents of the adjacent loyalist Sandy Row area, due to claims the structure contained the remains of a bridge crossed by King William III and his troops on the way to the Battle of the Boyne in 1690.
Local traders also hit out at the economic impact of the closure of Durham Street.
Last December, Belfast City Council agreed to a local residents’ association request to rename part of Durham Street to reflect the site of the former Boyne Bridge.
Durham Street, which will be adjacent to the future new Saltwater Square outside Grand Central Station, is due to reopen to traffic next month.
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It is hoped this will avoid a repeat of festive season traffic congestion that choked Belfast city centre last year.
Now locals from Sandy Row are planning to erect Orange Order flags in the Durham Steet area to mark the “historic occasion” of the opening of Boyne Bridge Place.
William Dickson, of the Blackstaff Residents Association and the Boyne Bridge Defenders cultural group, shared a call on social media for donations to purchase numerous Boyne Standard flags.
The flag, featuring a purple star and St George’s cross against a bright orange background, is one of the main flags associated with the Orange Order.
Mr Dickson, whose post also called for volunteers to erect them, told the Irish News: “The opening of the road will be a historic occasion.
“We have other proposals we are keeping under wraps for now, but the first step will be to put as many Boyne Standard flags up as we can. We have asked people to donate and hope to get the boys from Sandy Row out to help put them up.”
Mr Dickson is among local opponents of plans to install dual language signs including Irish in Grand Central Station. The move, approved by Sinn Féin infrastructure minister Liz Kimmins, has been paused due to legal action launched by loyalist activist Jamie Bryson.
SDLP councillor for the Botanic area, Gary McKeown, expressed concern over the plans to erect flags so close to Grand Central Station.
He said the development of the wider area around the hub “presents a unique opportunity to drive forward regeneration in the wider neighbourhood”.
“We need to move beyond the challenges of the construction phase and focus on how communities like Sandy Row can benefit from it,” he said.
“It’s really important that a message goes out that this area is open for business and is welcoming. Festooning it with flags or other paraphernalia risks sending out a very different signal, and I’m unsure what it seeks to achieve.
“There’s a real opportunity for Sandy Row to thrive in a way which recognises its unique history and culture, but which also attracts new investment and builds hope, so no one should lose sight of this. Everyone’s efforts must be on making this area a success.”
