6 February 2008

SPART ACTION GROUP: WINTER GAMES

SPART ACTION GROUP: WINTER GAMES 7TH - 9TH FEBRUARY
BELFAST, NORTHERN IRELAND

WHAT THE HELL ARE TEH WINTER GAMES??
Just as the 20th Century demanded new forms of Art so too does the 21st century demand new forms of leisure. SPART is the ultimate hybridisation of art and sport and is therefore the most evolved form of leisure on the planet. The winter games is a three day misery-alleviating extravaganza stuffed full of all teh things you never thought of doing with your time. some games are played in teams some are played as individuals. All of them have winners and losers and medals and certificates and all the other kind of stuff you'd expect in a games event.
Bored with the monotony of consensus consumer reality? Do you wish there was something a bit more interesting and entertaining than endless re-runs of Friends? We have a suggestion: SPART

During the 7th, 8th and 9th February 2008 we invited the people of Belfast to come and play a series of new games with us. All the games were fresh from the SPART Action think tank and included such unforgettable events as:
Alleyway Bargain Hunt
Psychic hide and Seek
Cripple Mr Shithead in the Eye with the Hot Sauce
Ouija-boggle
Bogroll Croquet
And many more...



"tonight the city lies before us but we're beside ourselves with boredom"


29 January 2008

Workshop Plan

Aim: Design temporary play environments for indoor and outdoor use, constructed from found and recyled materials

Week1: Introductions, Explain Project, Games, Brainstorm Ideas, Sourcing Materials
Week2: How to construct shapes? What do the materials do?
Week3: Building and demonstrating
+ Alleyway bargain Hunt - 9th February
Week4: Fixing/Jointing
Week5: Insulation
+ Invite to exhibition in Golden Thread Gallery - 23rd February
week6: Painting/Accessorising
week7: Finalising Play Hubs
week8: Discuss Event
+Invite to Camping Excursion on 16th March

Week Two - CCC

Aim: Shape Making

  • Discuss the theme 'play hubs'
  • Safety Rules - Supervision with tools/equipment
  • How to construct shapes.
  • What are the limitations of materials (plastic/cardboard/styrofoam(polystyrene thermal insulation)/wood/canvas)

9 January 2008

Possible sights

Ormeau Park:



It's features includes a bandstand, basketball/netball, playing fields, bowling greens and pavilions, car parking, an ecotrail, horticultural displays, orienteering course, playgrounds, seasonal bedding, specimen trees, soccer, tennis and walks. It was Belfast`s first public park, having opened its doors in 1871. It is still one of the largest parks in Belfast and offers a mixture of horticulture, woodland, wildlife and sporting facilities. In this huge space were space is not an issue, numbers of people is not either. It is a great meeting place and one, of which, you really feel like your our of the city. All areas are wheel chair accessible.
The demesne at Ormeau was the home of the Donegall family. The second Marquis moved there in 1807 and extended Ormeau House to accommodate his large household. The estate was sold in the 1860s to Belfast Corporation to pay off family debts due to gambling! Subsequently, the land was opened in 1871 as Ormeau Park and remains so today.

Shaftesbury Area:


Shaftesbury Recreation Centre, which runs next to the river Lagan, has great facilities and is managed by the LORAG (Lower Ormeau residents Action Group). It is available for a range of activities: football, basketball, badminton, dance classes, martial arts, keep fit classes, exercises and boccia. There can facilitate up to 500 seated people, equiped with conference, seminars, meetings rooms and an IT suite. The surrounding housing estate has been given a face lift provided by the Re-imagining programme.

Gasworks:


Continuing down my walk along the river Lagan, next was the Gasworks. The gasworks is a prime business location which includes Halifax, the Radison SAS Hotel. In it's day it produced heat and light for all of Belfast. Due to the high costs associated with gas production and th ereduction in demand the site closed in 1988, becoming vacant and derelict. Belfast City Council partnered up with the Gasworks to produce this corporation development which includes a high quality public realm, vehicle, pedestrian and cycle paths, significant works of art by local artists. Mike Hogg's 'Bottle Top' is shown in image.
The development restored the Clock Tower in 2002, sending out the message that time no longer stands still!

Further Playgrounds in Belfast:
  • Balfour Avenue Playground, Balfour Avenue, Ormeau Road, BT7 2EW
  • Barnetts Playground, Barnetts Demesne, Shaw’s Bridge Car Park, BT9 5PB
  • Blythefield Playground, Blythe Street, Sandy Row, BT12 5HW
  • Botanic Playground, Botanic Gardens, Stranmillis Embankment, BT7 1PN
  • Carnanmore Playground, Carnanmore Park, Blacks Road, BT11 9LY
  • Drumglass Playground, Drumglass/Cranmore Park, Lisburn Road, BT9 6JF
  • Dunville Playground, Dunville Park, Dunville Street, BT12 4NF
  • Falls Playground, Falls Park, Falls Road, BT12 6AN
  • Geeragh Playground, Finaghy Community Centre, Geeragh Place, BT10 0ER
  • Glassmullin Playground, Slievegallion Drive, Andersonstown Road, BT11 8JP
  • Horn Drive Playground, Lenadoon Walk, Lenadoon Avenue, BT11 9GU
  • Lemberg Street Playground, Lemberg Street, Roden Street, BT12 5QB
  • McClure Street Playground,McClure Street, BT7 1FX
  • Moyard Playground, Moyard Crescent, New Barnsley Park, BT12 7HJ
  • Northlink Playground, Northlink Playing Fields, BT11 8HW
  • Olympia Playground, Olympia Leisure Centre, Boucher Road, BT12 6NT
  • Rev. Robert Bradford Playground, Howard Street South, Donegall Pass, BT7 1AX
  • Sir Thomas and Lady Dixon Playground, Sir Thomas and Lady Dixon Park, Upper Malone Road, BT17 9LA
  • Springhill Playground, Springhill Crescent, Springhill Avenue, Whiterock Road, BT12 7QJ
  • Taughmonagh Playground, Malton Drive, Malone Road, BT9 6QF
  • Wedderburn Playground, Wedderburn Playing Fields, Orpen Park, BT10 0BN