A 'vibrant' new outdoor space has opened on the Dublin Road in Belfast, bringing life to a once-forgotten about area.
Bankmore Square is officially ready for the public to enjoy following a rejuvenation project delivered by the Linen Quarter BID.
Linen Quarter BID is a not-for-profit business improvement district, that focuses on the long-term regeneration of the Linen Quarter area.
Read more: Plans to transform city centre 'hotspot for disruptive behaviour' unveiled
Their lastest project, adjacent to Trademarket on the Dublin Road, has been reimagined with a £95,000 investment and will be managed by LQ BID - with a lease in place until 2025.
Belfast Live headed down to enjoy the green space for ourselves and chatted to Linen Quarter BID's Chris McCracken about the impact the new and improved Bankmore Square will have to the area.
Chris said: "It's actually a bit of a gap site and land that's reserved for the North-South Glider, which will be coming through in a few years time.
"As a result, it wasn't really being looked after and it didn't have a purpose so we had approached the Department for Infrastructure and asked if we could do something with it.
"They kindly agreed to give us a lease to remodel it."
They also worked with the Department for Communities on the project who provided some funding to help reshape the space, creating "meanwhile use" as a measure of temporary intervention for the area.
"It will create some social space for people around and for tourists to the city.
"We've removed some hedges and removed some of the wall that separated the site that made the area very inaccessible and people didn't really know that there was something that they could use, and it also made it a hot spot for antisocial behaviour.
"So by just removing the wall and the hedge, we've improved the sight line so people can see right through the site. We put some lovely benches on where the wall used to be looking right up Black Mountain," Chris explained.
Additional works include the installation of a new circular central feature to facilitate small-scale music events and pop-ups, introducing a new level of social vibrancy to the square.
Tree wrap lighting has also been installed in over 20 trees to brighten the Square during the evening and enhance perceptions of public safety.
He continued: "We've put in some picnic benches here in nice, vibrant colours.
"You'll notice as well that the seats in the picnic benches have that darkened wood and that's a reference to the Blackstaff River, which runs beneath this space.
"Blackstaff River means blacken oak or darken oak so that's what that's what we've done with the tables - that's just a little reference to that."
Linen Quarter BID had received a number of concerns about the former state of Bankmore Square, with many feeling 'threatened' when passing and that it was crying out for intervention.
"I think the local businesses will be delighted that we've now got a very attractive and vibrant social space," he said.
"It's great for people in the office to come down with their colleagues and have lunch and it's a reason for why people can come back to the office because they've got these nice spaces to use in the city centre."
James Hayes is the general manager of the Marcus Ward bar that operates directly beside Bankmore Square and has welcomed what a space like this will do for their business and others in the area.
James added: "It was an area that just wasn't looked after, and it wasn't maintained.
"Even in the short space of time with this work has been taking place, you can see how much has changed.
"I think for the businesses around here, not just ourselves, but other businesses too, there's a level of vibrancy in the air and everyone's just got higher expectations now, so it's great to see."
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