Sneak peek at Manchester's new £1.8 million sky park
Castlefield Viaduct is set to open to the public at the end of the month
Last updated 22nd Jul 2022
Manchester's newest green space has been unveiled for the first time today.
The Castlefield Viaduct Sky Park has been under construction for the past five months transforming the giant 330m structure into an elevated park with trees, plants and flowers.
It'll open to the public Saturday 30 July, but today we've been given a sneak preview.
Twelve architects have been working with the National Trust to create the new park with thousands of plants, shrubs and trees planted over the past five months.
Organisers say they hope it will inspire and capture visitors to help shape the longer-term future of the Grade II listed structure.
Hilary McGrady, Director-General of the National Trust says: “Today is incredibly exciting. The idea of transforming the viaduct has been around for a while, but it was always put in the ‘too hard to achieve box’ and set aside.
“For that long-held vision to finally come to life is therefore testament to the strong partnerships we have formed and the hard work of so many.
“What I love about this space is that it encapsulates so much of what the Trust’s work is about: opening up our shared heritage for everyone to enjoy, creating beautiful spaces and bringing people closer to nature. It’s about creating something new for the community, while also protecting an iconic piece of industrial history.
“We hope hundreds of people will visit and enjoy spending time in nature among the trees, shrubs and wildlife that is already starting to make this space its home. We’ll also be able to learn from this project and really start to understand more about what and how we can bring more green spaces and wildlife to thousands more people across the country in urban spaces.”
One hundred people a day will be able to visit the viaduct from next Saturday 30 July.
Entry onto the structure will be free, but a booking system will be in place to help manage numbers.
As part of the experience, visitors will be able to join guided walks. There are also plans to host various events including community events, workshops and consultations.