Belfast Botanic Gardens In £3.8m Upgrade

Belfast's Botanic Gardens are undergoing a £3.8m restoration project to recreate the Tropical Ravine's "Victorian splendour," the City Council has said.

The Tropical Ravine will close Monday 17 November and will reopen in Spring 2016.

Hundreds of plants are being moved to other glass houses on the Botanic Gardens site during the work.

The ravine was built by head gardener Charles McKimm and his staff and opened in 1889, two years after work began.

The £3.8m project is being paid for by the Heritage Lottery Fund and Belfast City Council, through its Investment Programme for the city. The Friends of Belfast Botanic Gardens are also contributing to the restoration works.

Chairman of the Parks and Leisure Committee, Councillor Adam Newtown, said: "This is the last chance to visit the Tropical Ravine before its closure on 17 November but the restoration work will transform a crumbling building into a must-see attraction for old and new visitors alike.

"It will become a key asset within Botanic Gardens and the wider area, with its unique Victorian features restored and the plant collection preserved and developed.

"Some of the world’s oldest seed plants are contained within it, as well as specialist plants like Killarney Fern, orchid, banana, cinnamon and bromeliad and it is vital that we take steps to preserve this absolute gem in the heart of Belfast with its unique collection of tropical and sub-tropical plants.

Dr Bob Brown, NI committee member of the Heritage Lottery Fund, said: "We are delighted to see the Tropical Ravine restoration project taking this significant step forward. The team have been working hard behind the scenes to prepare for this day. The heritage importance of both the plant collection and the building make this a fascinating but complex heritage project and we wish the team all the best as they embark on this next stage of the project.

"Once completed and reopened the Tropical Ravine will be an amazing heritage resource complementing Botanic Gardens and its’ neighbour the Ulster Museum. It is thanks to National Lottery players that HLF can help make these heritage projects happen across NI."

(IT/MH)