A new C.S. Lewis-themed civic square is being created in east Belfast as part of a major £40 million development project taking place in the area.
C.S Lewis was an Irish author and scholar, best known for his fictional children’s series The Chronicles of Narnia.
The new square will be dedicated to the author, portray some of Belfast’s literary ties and history, and become a focal point in east Belfast.
Groups visiting can enjoy interpretative signage, outdoor performances, markets and local celebrations, ensuring the civic square is a well-used space.
A new lease of life for Belfast
The new square is part of a project created by Connswater Community Greenway (CCG) that is set to inject a new lease of life into the Irish city.
The project is set to create public artwork, new play areas at Avoniel and Loop River Park, and 16-kilometers of new paths for walking and cycling.
Further highlights will include new bridges, crossings and signage, improvements to the Connswater, Knock and Loop Rivers, flood defences and new lighting, benches and landscaping.
The project has been developed by the East Belfast Partnership and delivered with Belfast City Council and funded by Big Lottery Fund, Belfast City Council and the Department for Social Development.
More C. S. Lewis
As part of the CCG project, a number of new heritage trails are being developed. One of them is a C.S. Lewis trail, which will lead groups to the places that influenced and inspired the young C.S. Lewis.
Holywood Archers Library, St Mark’s Church and a statue of the author himself called The Searcher, are highlight locations along the trail.
The walk will also encourage visitors and locals to learn about the vast history of the area, to visit the Greenway and to visit east Belfast.
New visitor centre
In addition to the CCG project, Belfast has also recently opened a new information site called EastSide Visitor Centre.
Visitors can access information on the city’s attractions from interactive digital screens, interpretative panels and a wall map revealing EastSide’s famous faces, places and industries.
For further information about Belfast visit www.visitbelfast.com.
(Photo credit: VisitBritain and Britain on View).
