CITY SHAPERS: What's Your Role?
Whether your role is architect, community representative, cyclist or citizen, we all have a part to play in shaping the city around us, from big scale planning to small scale interventions. In this series, we meet the people making a difference in Belfast and beyond.
Dr. Callie Persic is originally from the United States. After coming to Belfast to
complete her PhD in Anthropology at Queen’s University, she now
resides here and works for the West Belfast Partnership Board (WBPB). She spoke to Ailish Killilea who volunteers at PLACE and works as an urban designer with Forum for Alternative Belfast.
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How
long have you worked with WBPB and what is your role?
I
have worked at the WBPB for the last seven and a half years and am
the Strategic Regeneration Manager. The Partnership is a cross-sector
partnership that works across a number of themes. Specifically my
remit covers Housing, Environment & Planning and Economic
Development & Neighbourhood Renewal. There are five Area
Partnerships in Belfast and I have strong relationships across the
city with my colleagues.
How
do you find working with the Partnership Board and what type of projects do
you deal with?
I
like working in the Partnership, I actually like working with
different people and in different sectors - I get quite a buzz out of
that. Because my remits are so wide, I could work on a number of
things. Regeneration is many things linked together. In relation to
economic development, I work with a very strong committee, what we
are looking at is how to support local creative industries, small
businesses and SMEs (small & medium enterprises).
This can be localised or can reach city wide. We
work on community development model that can help local traders and
creative industries get a head start for example we have supported
the West Belfast Traders Forum and the tourism initiative Fáilte Feirste Thiar, which are now operating independently.
"Regeneration is many things linked together"
In
terms of spatial regeneration, housing and environmental planning, I
think we could do so much more - but resources can limit the expanse
of our projects. The progress of this work comes in peaks and valleys
depending on [whether] there are resources. It can be very frustrating as it
can take years to see something happen.
That said, the work is very
interesting and we have many projects on the go in the West. Currently the Glen 10 Development Framework is out to community
consultation and the Andersontown Barracks is another huge and very
interesting project, something we have worked on with PLACE. We
organised the community consultation for that — it is a former
military site and the redevelopment of is hugely important for
Belfast as it is part of conflict transformation and the use of
space.
In
terms of local work I sit on each of the Neighbourhood Partnerships,
there are 5 of them in West Belfast. It is important to be able to
support local renewal as well as strategic and wider reaching
regeneration.
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| Callie Persic outside the West Belfast Partnership Board. Picture by Ailish Killilea. |
You
recently set up the Pop up shop in West Belfast, which was very
successful. How did you find setting it up and running it?
The
Pop Up Shop (Síopa Sealadach) was result of a number of things
coming together—support for the creative industries, addressing
empty shops and linking into the increased footfall during the Féile
and seizing an opportunity. Our
neighbours, SCA (Springfield Charitable Association), very kindly
gave us use of the space prior to them moving into their new
premises. We were very lucky as I’m aware setting up a pop up is
not always that easy.
The
shop was opened by the DCAL Minister Carál Ni Chuilín on the 30th
of July and it ran until the 12th of August. I am delighted by the
success of the shop—there was a great sense of excitement and a
‘can do’ attitude. Something like this had not been done on the
Falls Road before and it generated a lot of interest and publicity.
"...we want to make sure there are good quality services to help people who really need it."
It was a great project to be involved in and I am delighted to report
that the creatives involved ‘re-popped’ after the space on the
Falls Road closed - they are temporarily located on 155
Northumberland Street across from the International Wall. What
is great about the pop up shop is that it gives creatives the
opportunity to test out their business to the market and make a go of
it until they can afford to take on their own unit.
Are there any new projects in the pipeline that you are particularly
interested in?
We
have a lot going on across all the themes in the Partnership and I am
interested in how we can carry out regeneration of Belfast through
more effective collaboration. Our remit is to work with the worst
10% - we want to make sure there are good quality services to help
people who really need it.
In
terms of economic development we have been working towards a better
relationship with InvestNI, recently embarking on a piece of
work together drawing up an investment proposition for West Belfast,
which will be extremely useful as we seek investment and promote
tourism.
On
a wider city scale, we have been part of the FAB Summer School 2012,
looking at how West and East Belfast connect to the city centre.
Analysis showed how poorly the West connects to the city, especially
in the ‘Shatterzone’ area on Divis Street. I
was glad to see this year comparative work to other cities and an
evidence-based approach, which helped inform my thinking as to the
future needs of the city and our communities. That
is a project where leadership is necessary in how you take that
forward. It will need multiple partners lining up their plans and
resources.
How
would you unwind after a long day?
I
volunteer in my spare time – I am the Chair of Skegoneill Glandore
Common Purpose, an interface organisation in North Belfast. I really
enjoy it because the projects are so interesting but is very similar
to my professional career and so I need to find other ways to take a
break and unwind.
I
do Bikram Yoga in the Conway Mill. It is physically intense but I
find it very relaxing and focuses me. I like walking around the city,
taking pictures and exploring the city. Best
of all though is when I am just chilled out with friends—going for
walks or meeting up and having tea and cakes!
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| Interview at WBPB HQ. Picture by Ailish Killilea |
As
a child, what did you want to be when you grew up?
I
wanted to be so many things—in fact I still do! I initially
thought I would be a medical doctor but maybe because I moved so much
I became interested in other cultures and in the end I settled on
anthropology. My undergraduate degree is in philosophy but I went on
to study anthropology and this is what brought me to Belfast. My PhD
thesis looked at women, power, feminism and identity.
"I really believe in Belfast."
What
book are you reading at the moment?
I
usually have about 3 or 4 books on the go and I just finished the
most recent Deborah Harkness book—which is a real
curl-up-on-the-sofa book. But I also have been reading 'Welcome to the
Urban Revolution'—It’s useful to read case studies about urban
development and look at practices elsewhere—I’m really interested
in cities, looking at cities and how they work. I think even you can
read a little at the end of each day, it is so beneficial. Also I just
re-read 'The Importance of Being Earnest' and it is such a
brilliant play and makes me laugh out loud. I always have more books
I want to read than time to enjoy them.
I
also find I’m reading more and more on my phone, getting digestible
articles, that if I have a moment, I can drop in and out of.
If
you could invite 5 famous people to dinner, dead or alive, who would
they be?
I
was trying to get it down to five! Oscar Wilde is a must, Hilary
Clinton, Amelia Peabody, David Attenborough, Nan Goldin (her work is
so edgy and different) and Robert Plant - because of my love for Led
Zeppelin.
If
you were in charge, what changes would you make to Belfast as a city?
I
really believe in Belfast. I believe in the greatness of Belfast. I
would like to see Belfast thrive and be its own thing and not become
just another city that you could find anywhere. My vision for Belfast
is to have a better connected city in every way - that people feel
connected to each other and the city and that there is a better sense
of collective ownership. I think there are many aspects to this
because it’s about transport, employment, public spaces, mental
maps and challenging our own behavior and patterns. I would also like
to see a change in the city in terms of a better balance of gender
equality with more women involved at leadership levels, making
decisions and having some influence in how the city takes shape.
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If you or someone you know is a City Shaper, in Belfast or across Northern Ireland, we'd love to talk to you. Contact info@placeni.org
