Ormeau Park is located at BT7 3GG for those not local, everyone else knows where it is! It is one of the most famous parks in Belfast. There are numerous entries to the grounds - but the main one would be on the Ormeau Road/Ormeau Embankment, also via the Ravenhill Road. As Charles points out in the comments below - the park is in County Down - not actually County Antrim - as the boundary between the counties is the river Lagan. While this all got a bit more confusing when the new council areas launched - Belfast City Council looks after the entire city - no matter what county it is.
The park opens at 7:30 am each day (it was open prior to this - on the day we arrived there) and closes normally around dark, the time changes with the seasons.
Ormeau Park is perhaps the oldest public park in the city of Belfast, Northern Ireland. It is also one of the largest and busiest parks in the city and is considered to be a popular sports venue, providing a numerous facilities located in the Ormeau Park Playing Fields including soccer pitches, bowling greens and pavilions, a BMX track, in addition to basketball and tennis courts. The park also has a children’s playground. All the facilities include:
- A short nature trail
- BMX track
- Ormeau Bowling Green and Pavilion
- Soccer Pitches
- Basketball and Tennis Courts
- Indoor Tennis Courts & Ozone complex
- Children's Playgrounds & the fitness equipment that is appearing in all parks at the moment (for adults!)
- Bandstand
- Rugby
- Ravenhill Bowling Green and Pavilion
Dogs are allowed to be walked (as with all parks in N.Ireland) as long as they are on their leads. The park is also popular among walkers and joggers alike and has a range of eco trails and orienteering routes.
History
Ormeau Park was the original home of the Donegall family. The surname might seem familiar as it was later used to name several of Belfast's most famous streets, including Donegall Quay and Donegall Place.
The Donegall family moved to the park and set up their home at Ormeau Cottage in 1807. The second Marquis of Donegall extended the building and lived there until his death in 1844. However, as the family’s fortune spiralled into debt, the Belfast City Council was able to purchase the estate in 1869. The Park was officially opened to the public in 1871 and the opening was marked with a parade from Carlisle Circus. The public were invited to submit their design ideas for the 100 acre site. The winning design was done by Timothy Hevey, a 24-year-old architect from Belfast.
Memorable Events Held at Ormeau Park include • Tennents’ Vital Festival
The park hosted the Tennents’ Vital Festival for the first time in August 2007. The festival is an annual music event in Northern Ireland. It was first held near the Botanic Gardens in 2002 then later moved to Ormeau Park in 2007. After a three-year hiatus. The festival returned in 2011 at Ward Park in Bangor.
• Belfast Carnival Village
In June 2016, the Belfast Carnival Village was held at Ormeau Park, featuring arts and crafts workshops, performing puppets, food stalls, mad hatter tea parties, and orchestrated musicians for the entire family.
Even if this park is considered the oldest in Belfast, there are still other parks found in the city that could be preferred by visitors more than Ormeau.
- Colin Glen Park with its Gruffalo trail that make it one of the most preferred parks by those families who come to visit the place with their kids ([ Ссылка ])
- Sir Thomas and Lady Dixon Park which is considered the most famous park when it comes to South Belfast. This park was created by Lady Edith Stewart Dixon back in 1959 for the memory of her husband Sir Thomas Dixon ([ Ссылка ]).
-The Botanic Gardens in Belfast and this one is located very close to Belfast's city centre, making it more visited by those tourists who come to check the city ([ Ссылка ]).
- Lagan Valley Park is also located in Belfast, Northern Ireland and is added to the list of parks which one could visit in the city ([ Ссылка ]).
- Belvoir Park Forest ([ Ссылка ]).
- Victoria Park ([ Ссылка ]).
The list could go on and if you are going to look past Belfast and check some other cities in Northern Ireland then you will manage to find a lot of parks which could be visited - some of them are considered old and historical for the period of time they have been standing, while others are not considered much old but which carry their history.
Whether it is the oldest, the best, or the most preferred park in Belfast, Northern Ireland, it is one of those which should be checked and visited since it will not only offer green spaces for the visitors, but it will give them the chance to do some sports along the way with the playgrounds it has.
