A vibrant new green urban garden for Belfast has been officially launched today at Belfast Harbour, marked by a traditional maritime bottle smashing ceremony at the City Quays Gardens.

The £3.5 million investment by Belfast Harbour has transformed a two-acre site, previously used as a car park, into a significant public green space. Situated between the historic Belfast Harbour Offices and the modern City Quays office buildings on the River Lagan waterfront, the garden has been built to 'One Planet Living' sustainability standards and represents another key element in the ongoing development of the Maritime Mile.

The gardens feature a distinctive 'nest' sculpture at its entrance, alongside richly planted green spaces with ample seating, extensive tree planting, events lawns with amphitheatre seating, and outdoor workspace. Designed with eco-consciousness in mind, the area aims to create new habitats for wildlife and enhance biodiversity within the city. Dr Theresa Donaldson, Chair of Belfast Harbour, and Councillor Ruth Brooks, Chair of Belfast City Council's People and Communities Committee, officially declared the gardens open at a gathering attended by Belfast Harbour stakeholders, including port tenants, government officials, contractors, local residents, community groups, and businesses.

Dr Theresa Donaldson expressed her pride in the project, stating: "The vision for City Quays Gardens is that it would be a vibrant and attractive public green space for people who live here, work here and also those who are visiting the city – blending the rich industrial and maritime heritage of the port with innovative and sustainable design and environmental excellence. This first phase of City Quays Gardens delivers on all fronts and I'm delighted it is already being enjoyed by people from communities in and around the Harbour Estate."

Councillor Ruth Brooks highlighted the collaborative effort, noting: "Through our ambitious 'Bolder Vision' strategy, Belfast City Council is working to make our city centre greener, more connected, and more accessible. Belfast Harbour is a key partner for Belfast City Council and we work very closely on many aspects of the development, improvement and evolution of our city for the good of all of our citizens." She concluded that City Quays Gardens is "a perfect example of that collaborative approach and marks a really meaningful contribution to Council's objectives of creating new green space in Belfast and promoting active and sustainable transport."