‘Life’s a beach’ for Belfast – Plans to Develop an Urban Beach in Titanic Quarter
Beach lovers in Belfast and across NI will no longer have to travel to enjoy the seaside if plans by Titanic Foundation come to pass. The charity has revealed that its ‘Build a Beach’ initiative in the heart of Titanic Quarter has been successfully shortlisted for a potential £50,000 prize from the People’s Millions, a partnership between the Big Lottery Fund and ITV.
The manmade beach will be located beside Titanic Belfast and will not only be a shared space for Belfast and the people of NI but also a fantastic venue for sporting, cultural and educational events and activities. From beach volleyball to building giant sand castles and playing life size board games, there will be something for all to enjoy. Beach huts will be erected, a must for Belfast’s climate, and it will provide the perfect location to welcome the arrival of the Tall Ships in July 2015.
The competition, which will be showcased on UTV evening news from Monday 24th November to Wednesday 26th November, will see community groups go head-to-head in a bid to win a Big Lottery Fund award for life-changing projects. Two groups each night will make their cases for viewers’ support to take home up to £50,000, with the public voting by phone to help decide who wins the prize.
Titanic Foundation’s innovative ‘Build a Beach’ project is up for public vote on Monday 24th November and Titanic Foundation is encouraging people to pick up the phone and vote on the day.
Titanic Foundation Destination Manager, Maeve Curran, said; ‘This is a fantastic opportunity for Belfast and Northern Ireland. In the UK and Europe, urban beaches are fast becoming established and increasingly attractive. In 2013 Paris Plage attracted 3 million people and many beaches are popping up in cities across the UK including Southbank in London, Cardiff, Newcastle, Liverpool, Birmingham and Bristol. We want to bring a little bit of seaside to the city and have positioned the beach next to our World Class Visitor attraction, Titanic Belfast, to add to the visitor experience.
Maeve added, ‘We intend to work with local primary schools across Belfast in the design process and we hope to recruit, train and work with a team of volunteers to help with regular beach maintenance and assist with the organisation of beach events and activities.
‘Our aim is to create a place that will engage with and attract local communities, providing a space that belongs to everyone. Within easy reach anyone can walk, cycle, or hop on public transport and be on our beach within minutes. First we need to secure the funding. If you would use our beach, please pick up the phone and vote on Monday 24th November. Anyone can vote up to ten times! We need your support. ’
On Monday 24 November, between 9am and midnight, supporters will be able to vote for ‘Build a Beach’ project by calling a number to be revealed on the People’s Millions website at 9am – peoplesmillions.org.uk and Titanic Foundation Facebook and Twitter tfl_Belfast. Mobile and BT landline votes will cost only 15p. Other landlines may vary.
