Northern Ireland

New pop-up play park opens in Belfast city centre

Two year old Taylor from Belfast enjoys a new pop up play park which has opened at Cathedral Gardens in Belfast city centre. Picture by Hugh Russell
Two year old Taylor from Belfast enjoys a new pop up play park which has opened at Cathedral Gardens in Belfast city centre. Picture by Hugh Russell Two year old Taylor from Belfast enjoys a new pop up play park which has opened at Cathedral Gardens in Belfast city centre. Picture by Hugh Russell

A NEW pop-up play-park has opened in Belfast city centre.

The space at Cathedral Gardens has undergone a £300,000 makeover in a bid to create a new landscaped area and family-friendly zone.

In the multifunctional facility, the first of its kind in the city, features new lighting and fun equipment including a giant spinning ‘hamster’ wheel, outdoor musical instruments, a swinging bridge, and colourful mushrooms on a carpet of rainbow grass.

New seating and ‘bendy’ benches have also been installed as well as picnic tables, to encourage people to relax and linger in the colourful new surroundings.

The project was funded by Belfast City Council as part of its ongoing city centre revitalisation work, with £93,000 additional funding provided by the Department for Communities.

Belfast mayor Frank McCoubrey said it was hoped the new park would be "enjoyed by people" and would "provide a welcoming place to stop with a coffee, or for families to enjoy a picnic".

"What’s really special about the park is that it’s been designed for kids, by kids, and I really think that’s fantastic," he said.

"We talked to play workers and children about what we should include in the park and they provided us with a wish-list. We took that feedback onboard, and it has shaped the design of the park and the equipment we’ve installed – we even delivered on the unicorn grass."

The park has been opened on a trial basis and is expected to last two years.

If successful, the council and its city partners will consider something more permanent at Cathedral Gardens based on feedback from the project.

A new pop-up play-park has opened in Belfast city centre. The space at Cathedral Gardens has undergone a £300,000 makeover in a bid to create a new landscaped area and family-friendly zone. Picture by Hugh Russell
A new pop-up play-park has opened in Belfast city centre. The space at Cathedral Gardens has undergone a £300,000 makeover in a bid to create a new landscaped area and family-friendly zone. Picture by Hugh Russell A new pop-up play-park has opened in Belfast city centre. The space at Cathedral Gardens has undergone a £300,000 makeover in a bid to create a new landscaped area and family-friendly zone. Picture by Hugh Russell