Farset Pocket Forest

Where?

54.599701, -5.922025
BT1 3HH – Corner of Donegall Quay

Description of chosen place

The area has not been maintained for many years. It is a busy area being beside cross roads, near Queens Bridge and on the edge of the City Centre.

What do you imagine the space could be?

Through using exciting planter beds a Willow forest/pocket park could be grown. The Willow would create a connection with historical Belfast as it is a native species and would have grown along the River Farset and River Lagan that flow near the site. The Willow would be used by the local arts community groups to weave sculptures with live branches, harvested to weave into baskets or built into coracles and currachs. (Lagan Currachs are situated across the road from the site).

Submitted by

Andrew Kenny

Date

February 19, 2023

About the ‘Forgotten Spaces’ project

We added a competition element and public voting mechanism to the exhibition to encourage engagement over passive viewing. From this process, two submissions – Short Strand Green Wall and Donegall Street Car Park – were allocated the ‘top prize’ of £100, racking up well over 300 stars between them. A discussion event and prize giving was held on Wednesday March 22nd at the Europa Hotel. We were joined by Sean Dolan, Senior Development Manager, Belfast City Council and Seamus Connolly, Group Manager, Neighbourhoods, Regeneration and Sustainability, Glasgow City Council for discussion on methodologies and policies in place for ‘How to Regenerate Forgotten Spaces?’. In the continuing spirit of democracy the event audience got to vote to give special commendations for ‘inspiring our collective imagination’ to a further three entries from a shortlist – those selected were Clandeboyne Corner, Inner City Forest (east) and The Church at Fountainville Ave.

With Forgotten Spaces we were interested in derelict buildings, waste-grounds, and development sites in that limbo-state, not because we were trying to address the myriad of complexities about land ownership, access or regeneration but rather because we were trying to draw attention to the vast number of neglected, unloved and underused spaces of the city which seem to get forgotten or ignored in top-level conversations. Imagination is a muscle – you need to feed it, feed it with ideas from other places, people, positive news - hopefully this project is feeding your imagination.

We’re not sure what the next stage will be (or if there will be one) but are always open to discussion ideas. Get in touch if you think we can help you or you can help us.

Meadhbh McIlgorm, Project Curator