Belfast City Cemetery is to be restored following a £1.68 million lottery grant.

The grant, from the Heritage Lottery Fund (HLF), will enable Belfast City Council to restore Belfast City Cemetery's historic features, raise awareness of its rich heritage and reconnect people to it as a useable green space.

Head of HLF Northern Ireland, Paul Mullan, said: "Belfast City Cemetery is a place of immense heritage value. It was the city's first municipal cemetery, it is the final resting place of many influential figures from the city's past and it is one of the largest green spaces in west Belfast.

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"We often think of cemeteries as places for the dead, but our parks and cemeteries provide vital connections to our history, our community and our natural heritage and are also very much for the living. Thanks to National Lottery players this grant will support vital restorations right across this extraordinary cemetery; saving monuments at risk and maximising its potential as a green space for people to visit, use and enjoy."

The new project will see the restoration of important historic features such as the Central Steps and Victorian fountains. New signage and interpretation will be installed to raise awareness of this hidden heritage and a dedicated programme of live events, tours and workshops will be used to attract more visitors and share the heritage with new audiences.

(CD/LM)