Community and Recreation (Parks and Cemeteries) Sub-Committee 13 February 2006
From Nigov
C633
Community and Recreation Committee
Monday, 13th February, 2006
Contents |
SPECIAL MEETING OF COMMUNITY AND RECREATION (PARKS AND CEMETERIES SERVICES) SUB-COMMITTEE
Members present: Councillor Rodgers (Chairman); the High Sheriff (Councillor Humphrey); and Councillors Austin, Hartley, Kirkpatrick, McClenaghan and O’Reilly.
In attendance: Mr. M. Elder, Director of Community and Recreation; Mr. M. Parkinson, Head of Parks and Cemeteries Services; Mr. R. Maxwell, Area Manager; and Miss L. Hillick, Committee Administrator.
Apology
An apology for inability to attend was reported from Councillor Long.
Museums and Galleries of Northern Ireland
The Sub-Committee was reminded that, at its meeting on 13th January, it had agreed to receive a presentation from representatives of the Museums and Galleries of Northern Ireland in relation to its proposals for the redevelopment of the Ulster Museum. It was reported that Messrs. T. Cook and J. Gilmore were in attendance and they were admitted to the meeting and welcomed by the Chairman (Councillor Rodgers).
Mr. Cook reported that the Ulster Museum was the City’s largest free entry attraction which drew international visitors to the City and from across Northern Ireland. The facility acted as a key educational resource, with approximately 30,000 school children visiting the museum each year. The Museum’s staff were involved in implementing currently various mutual understanding, cultural diversity and outreach programmes. He stated, due to the fact that the facility had an unimposing public entrance and housed dated displays in its history and science galleries, the Museum’s management was of the view that improvements to the facility were overdue. The Museum aimed to improve its facilities and access by creating new and enlarged spaces for lifelong learning. He pointed out that by creating a visibly attractive base for visitor orientation and maximising the potential of the courtyard, the Museum’s collections would be reconstructed and the visitor experience enhanced. He referred to the proposed landscape improvements within the vicinity of the Museum and highlighted the visual impact which they would have on the Botanic Gardens.
After discussion, the deputation then retired from the meeting.
After further discussion, the Sub-Committee agreed to note the contents of the presentation and noted that a further report in relation to the Museum’s plans for renovation and its impact on the Botanic Gardens would be submitted in due course for its consideration.
Belfast Hills Partnership
The Head of Parks and Cemeteries Services reminded the Sub-Committee that, at its meeting on 8th November, it had agreed to receive a presentation from representatives of the Belfast Hills Partnership in relation to the future development and protection of the Belfast Hills. He reported that Messrs. K. Patterson and J. Bradley, together with Ms. L. Pinkerton, were in attendance and they were admitted to the meeting and welcomed by the Chairman.
Mr. Bradley reported that the Belfast Hills were renowned for providing a unique backdrop to a thriving urban area. From Colin Mountain in the South to Carnmoney Hill in the North, the Hills had sheltered Belfast, Lisburn and Newtownabbey for centuries. He stated that the Hills were a home to communities, farms and a wide range of important wildlife. He pointed out that the location of the Belfast Hills beside one of Northern Ireland’s busiest urban areas had brought various problems and pressures. The Hills area required careful management to ensure that it did not become overdeveloped and that its communities and wildlife sites were not degraded. He advised the Members that the farming community located on the Hills was finding it increasingly difficult to sustain a living and that the pressures of dealing with Belfast’s enormous waste streams had meant that the Belfast Hills had become a convenient dumping ground for fly tipping and illegal dumping. Together with the loss of hedgerows and dereliction, these factors had affected the landscape of the Hills to its detriment.
Mr. Bradley pointed out that the Belfast Hills Partnership brought together those Statutory Bodies, including four District Councils, which played a pivotal role in protecting the Hills. Representatives from the farming community, the settlements, the commercial and the recreational and environmental sectors played an active role in the Partnership and had pledged to work together to resolve any problems and bring forward new preservation programmes. He stated that generous initial funding to set up the Partnership had been received from the Environment and Heritage Service, Belfast City Council, Lisburn City Council, Newtownabbey Borough Council and Antrim Borough Council. However, further funding would be sought as the organisation’s work programme unfolded. Mr. Bradley pointed out that, in the near future, the Partnership would be launching its Strategic Environmental Assessment Document and that the organisation was requesting the use of the City Hall for this purpose.
The deputation then retired from the meeting.
After discussion, the Sub-Committee agreed to note the contents of the presentation and agreed also that the Parks and Cemeteries Services Sub-Committee host in the City Hall the launch of the Belfast Hills Partnership’s Strategic and Environmental Assessment Document.
Chairman
