Connswater Bridge

I ambled across to the Connswater Bridge this afternoon and took a few photographs of developments as part of the Connswater Greenway Project.

What, I wonder, is happening?

The river has been considerably narrowed immediately below the south side of the bridge.

It is culverted for a few hundred yards to the north.

Will this be stylish new terracing? And what are the short cylindrical columns?

Connswater Bridge

I happened to be passing the Connswater Bridge, Newtownards Road, Belfast, this afternoon and work progresses well on the Connswater Greenway project.

The river Conn's Water is culverted on one side for several hundred yards; while, at the Connswater Bridge, beside McDonald's, a Trench Shield (or box) has been placed in the middle of the river adjacent to the bridge.

Connswater Progress

February, 2015

In February, 2015, I photographed the river Conn's Water at Holywood Arches health centre, Belfast, where the river is culverted for a short distance.

December, 2015

Today I revisited the same location and, as we can see, the Connswater Greenway scheme is progressing well.

Greenway Progress

View from Mersey Street Bridge, October, 2015

Work progresses well along the river Conn's Water in east Belfast.

Yesterday I visited Mersey Street and, at the bridge, two large cement lorries were stationary.

The scene is looking from Mersey Street Bridge towards Victoria Park.

At the moment it's hard to visualize the new paths in correlation to the river, though of course this increases one's interest and enthusiasm.

Work has also begun further along the river, at Beer's Bridge.

Connswater Progress

Work is continuing along the river Conn's Water, which runs through the heart of east Belfast.

These images were taken at King George V playing-field, adjacent to The Oval, Glentoran Football Club's pitch, and Victoria Park.

Riverside Landscape

A section at river Conn's Water: May, 2015

Work is continuing along the river-bank beside Mersey Street Bridge, as part of the Connswater Greenway Project.

The section above is at King George V Playing-Field and The Oval football ground.

It runs from the bridge to Victoria Park.

Riverside Clearance

Work has begun clearing the riverside of the Conn's Water on a section near Mersey Street Bridge.

Beer's Bridge

Beer's Bridge, north side, March 2015

I went for a short stroll this morning in order to see Beer's Bridge on the Beersbridge Road in east Belfast.

I have little knowledge of the bridge or its history, though it seems to have been widened at some stage.

The little river Conn's Water flows under this bridge.

A century ago, this was a thriving industrial area, with the Owen O'Cork Mills on the river's eastern side.

Beer's Bridge, south side, March 2015

Further north, the huge Belfast ropeworks flourished.

The other side of the Conn's Water was adjacent to the Grove Weaving Factory (linen) and Elmgrove House (where the school now stands).

Travelling southwards along the river, there is a weir, the highest point  to which ordinary tides flow.

Mersey Street Bridge

Conn's Water from Mersey Street, March 2015

The prospect today from Mersey Street Bridge, Belfast, of the river Conn's Water.

The river and its riverside paths are all being restored and beautified as part of the £40 million Connswater Community Greenway Project.

The section of the river above flows from Mersey Street to its termination at or close to Victoria Park.

Connswater Weir

Connswater Weir: February, 2015

The Connswater weir is presently located at the Newtownards Road, Belfast, adjacent to McDonald's fast-food restaurant.

It stands within close proximity to one arch of the Connswater Bridge.

Connswater Bridge arch: February, 2015

I gather that the intention is to remove the old weir during riverine restoration works in the forthcoming Greenway Project.

Connswater Bridge Arms

The Connswater Bridge is located on Newtownards Road, Belfast, adjacent to East Bread Street.

The famed Belfast Ropework Company used to be here; as did Inglis's bakery.

Incidentally, the Belfast Ropeworks was the world's largest manufacturer of rope and twine.

The Connswater Bridge has a bronze plaque on one side adorning the Belfast coat-of-arms.

The Ropeworks side, at East Bread Street (and McDonald's restaurant), however, has a different metal shield (above).

It represents Industria or Industry.

The ship is evocative of Belfast's maritime status and interests.

A sheaf of corn or wheat in the middle represents Baking.

At the top we have two spinning-wheels, a clear reference to the ropeworks.

Connswater Reedbeds

River Conn's Water reedbeds: February, 2015

These reedbeds on the river Conn's Water are to be retained as a valuable part of ecological diversity within the Connswater Greenway project.

They are located in Connswater retail park, close to Harry Corry's store.

Reedbeds are among the most important habitats for birds in the UK. They support many breeding birds. More commonly, reed and sedge warblers sing out from the stands and kingfishers flash past, their metallic colours catching the eye.

In winter, wildfowl like gadwall, tufted duck and shoveler feed in the shallows. Many migratory species also arrive to feed and roost in our reedbeds, including the globally threatened aquatic warbler.

Reedbeds are also good for invertebrates – iridescent damselflies like azure and common blues rest on the emergent vegetation, while nimble dragonflies, such as the four-spotted chaser and hairy dragonfly, hawk the area for insects.

Mammals also frequent reedbeds: otters prey on amphibians like newts and frogs, and water voles feed on the banks of open waters. Reedbeds used to be important for the local economy as they were traditionally harvested for thatching material.

Today, reedbeds play an important role in water treatment processes: they can be used for filtering sewage from water, and buffering pollutants from agricultural and urban land.

New Conn's Water Series

River Conn's Water at health centre: February, 2015

Over the course of the next eighteen months it is my intention to chart pictorially the work which will transform the river Conn's Water in Belfast.

This section forms part of the ambitious and worthy Connswater Community Greenway project.

I will be taking photographs as the project progresses.

The River is currently a silted up, overgrown, neglected dumping-ground.

The Greenway Project will transform it into a beautiful aquatic artery running through the heart of east Belfast.

Riparian scrub clearance at retail park: February, 2015

I propose to focus on the River from its termination at Victoria Park to Mersey Street Bridge; from the said bridge to Holywood Arches Health Centre (where the river is culverted); and from Connswater Bridge to Harry Corry's store at Connswater Retail Park.

As many shall already be aware, Connswater retail and industrial estate was formerly the huge Belfast Rope Works.

The river Conn's Water is named after the last of the Ulster chieftains, Conn O'Neill, whose seat was in the Castlereagh hills.

The River cuts across the Newtownards and Beersbridge roads.