Smoky Fountains (C) David Dixon

SJ8398 : Smoky Fountains

taken 6 years ago, near to Manchester, Great Britain

Smoky Fountains

This space, which was the site of Salford's Victoria Bus Station*, on the Salford side of the River Irwell across from Manchester Cathedral, is being redeveloped (I think its name will be Greengate Square). It consists of a new footbridge, two stainless steel beacon sculptures, 36 coloured fountains and curved stone walls to sit on. The fountains are currently being tested ready for the opening of the square (planned to be before Christmas 2012).

As well as water, the fountains also emit clouds of water vapour. Supposedly, this is to represent smoke and steam (the area behind and above the square was the site of the former Exchange Station) and the steel towers represent chimneys from Manchester and Salford’s industrial past (maybe a less shiny material might have been more appropriate).

Link

The fountains of Salford, Manchester Confidential

* see SJ8398 : Salford Bus Station (1978) and SJ8398 : Victoria Bus Station & Manchester Cathedral

Greengate (Salford)

Greengate is the original historic core of Salford and sits within the easternmost part of the City of Salford. Comprising 13 hectares of strategically located land, it is bounded by the River Irwell, Victoria Bridge Street and Chapel Street, Blackfriars Road and Trinity Way, which forms part of the Manchester inner ring road.

In the mid-1800s some two thirds of the population of the city lived in the Greengate District but, by the 1930s, it was in a state of decay and declared a slum clearance area. More recently, the area was developed first for large scale industrial and manufacturing purposes and then, following the decline of these industries in the 1970s and 1980s, the area became occupied by a mixture of generally low grade employment uses and long stay surface car parking.

Following years of decline, the area has been designated for large scale development including a mixture of high rise residential and commercial buildings.

See Link (Greengate Regeneration Strategy Adopted March 2014) for more information

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Grid Square: SJ8398, 2432 images (more nearby )
Photographer: David Dixon (find more nearby)
Date Taken: Saturday, 20 October, 2012 (more nearby)
Submitted: Saturday, 27 October, 2012
Geographical Context: Public buildings and spaces City, Town centre
Subject Location: OSGB36: SJ 8377 9875 [10m precision]
WGS84: 53:29.1127N 2:14.7632W
Camera Location: OSGB36: SJ 8374 9876
View Direction: East-southeast (about 112 degrees)