Parallel Activity

One of the key objectives of the EU Urban II Community Initiative Programme is to build cross-community alliances in the regeneration of interface areas.

Measure 1.1 Sharing Places offers the potential for both communities to look collectively at a problem that affects them both. In recognition and acknowledgement of the difficulties faced by some communities in sharing physical space, the Urban II secretariat has developed a number of strategic initiatives aimed at creating opportunity and parallel activities across inner North Belfast. One such iniative is Parallel Activity. This allows for the co-ordination of separate but parallel, community-led initiatives while at the same time providing common ground to stimulate intra community dialogue.

The first of these projects was for the creation of two community gardens near one of the most volatile interfaces in North Belfast: one designed and built by the Ardoyne Youth Club and St Gabriel’s College; the other by the Upper Ardoyne Community Partnership in conjunction with Wheatfield Primary School. For more information on this project please click here.

Ardoyne Community Garden

These projects will help to build community relations not only between the young people and residents, but also, we hope, with their counterparts on the other areas involved in the Parallel Activity initiative.

Other potential parallel projects are currently being explored.

For further information on Parallel Activity projects please contact Ciarán Shannon on 028 9075 2990 or email ciaran.shannon@nthbp.org.