One Path to a Magical Greenway For All
August 24, 2018
Whether you use them to go for a run, walk the dog, push the buggy or cycle, greenways are shared paths for all.
As part of the Living the Greenways weekend in east Belfast, Sustrans is hosting a One Path Festival along the Comber Greenway to celebrate this wonderful community asset.
The Festival is in two parts – evening of Friday 14 Sept and Sunday 16 Sept from 1-4pm.
The seven-mile stretch of shared path from C.S Lewis Square to Comber playing fields will be animated with a range of family fun activities from arts and crafts, busking, nature trails and led walks and cycles.
There will be a range of activities right along the Comber Greenway including a family-focused community event adjacent to The Halt within the Billy Neill site. This event, hosted by Lisburn & Castlereagh City Council, will see street performers, busking, dog agility, biodiversity activities and the PSNI Community Police will be on hand to offer cycling safety advice. It will run from 1pm to 4pm on Sunday 16 September.
The Festival is the culmination of the One Path Initiative’s summer of engagement activities promoting the ‘Share, Respect, Enjoy’ principles to reduce conflict between different path users.
The One Path Initiative was developed by Sustrans in partnership with the Department for Infrastructure (DfI), which owns the Comber Greenway, and the three Councils it traverses: Ards and North Down; Lisburn & Castlereagh City Council; and Belfast City Council. The Festival is funded through the Initiative with additional funding from the Public Health Agency.
Rachael Ludlow-Williams from Sustrans said: “As greenways grow in popularity there is inevitably tension between different users. Through the One Path Initiative we have engaged with the public to raise awareness and promote respect for all users so that we can all enjoy the path. We’ve been able to do this through talking and listening to people on the path and fun activities such as the One Path Festival which will be the highlight of the year. So however you use the path come along and enjoy the events and help us all celebrate this fantastic greenway.”
Chairman of Lisburn & Castlereagh City Council’s Leisure & Community Development Committee, Alderman Paul Porter, said: “This festival will showcase the Comber Greenway and the many features along the way. The cycle hub at the Billy Neill Halt is a valuable asset to the greenway with the cycle hub providing a repair centre and access to a portable defibrillator. The Council is pleased to support the ‘Living in the Greenways’ weekend which I hope will raise awareness of this great facility.”
David Tumilty, Health and Social Wellbeing Improvement Manager at the Public Health Agency, said: “Our Greenways are a fantastic way for everyone to get more active and provide opportunities for children and adults to incorporate walking and cycling into their everyday lives, whether for active travel, recreation or health.
“The One Path Festival will highlight how everyone can enjoy the Greenways together and, with many adults and children not taking the recommended amounts of physical activity, using the safe space of a Greenway can help put people on the path to better health.”
Raymond McCullough from the Department for Infrastructure said: “This festival provides a great opportunity to see the Comber Greenway in an entirely positive light and we are very keen to promote the One Path message to those who use the greenway and those who live near to it and could use it. I hope that the festival will also help us to recognise that the Greenway offers a better and more healthy option for travelling to work, appointments, shops or school by foot or bike.
Events include:
Friday 14 Sept: Led walk and history tour of Comber Greenway
Sun 16 Sept: Billy Neill Playing Fields: Family festival including music, dog agility, NI Orienteering, ice-cream & refreshments
North Road Bridge: Graffiti art and music
Barnett’s Road: Fruit bush planting by Conservation Volunteers
Tullycarnet: mobility bikes; refreshments
Comber Road: Chestnut tree planting
Ballybeen: Bling your bike, football, refreshments
And lots more activities along the route so come on your bikes, scoot or walk.
For more information on the One Path Festival go to https://www.sustrans.org.uk/onepath