WORK has begun to dismantle a three-metre west Belfast Peace Wall almost 30 years after it was first erected.
The wall, between Springfield Road and Springhill Avenue, has been separating nationalist and unionist communities for almost three decades.
It was installed in 1989 as a security measure to provide extra protection to residents and the nearby New Barnsley police station.
The community-led decision to change the site was reached following careful relationship building initiatives by the Black Mountain Shared Spaces Project with support from the International Fund for Ireland, the Department of Justice and the Housing Executive.
Seamus Corr, Project coordinator for the Black Mountain Shared Spaces Project, said: “The removal of the Springhill Avenue barrier is a significant step forward for the local community.
"This is about more than just changing the physical look of this area, it shows that communities are willing, with support, to work towards positive change.
"The removal of a wall is not a starting point nor an end point, but a significant milestone on the journey towards a positive future.”
Work is currently underway to remove the barrier. (Picture: International Fund for Ireland)The project received financial assistance from the International Fund for Ireland’s Peace Walls Programme and its Chairman, Dr Adrian Johnston, said: “There should be no place for physical separation barriers in a truly reconciled society.
"While we have not yet reached that stage, the community-led decision to remove this division demonstrates a desire for change.
"The communities’ decision to remove the wall at Springfield Avenue and the alterations that are taking place illustrate what can be achieved with strong local leadership and by fully engaging those who live next to physical barriers.
“The vast majority of barriers are located within communities that continue to suffer disproportionately due to the conflict and the risks associated with removal lie almost exclusively with the residents and communities most impacted by their presence.
"Through our Peace Walls Programme, Black mountain Shared Spaces Project has worked with local residents to envisage a positive future and collectively enable this project to be delivered.”
A spokesperson for the Department of Justice in Northern Ireland said the dismantling "demonstrates what can be achieved when community and statutory organisations work together to build confidence within communities."
Housing Executive Housing Services Manager Paddy Kelly said it was a 'welcome step' to see one of Belfast's interface barriers coming down.
