Geograph - photograph every grid square

Hailed as Manchester's first new park for 100 years. The 6.5 acre site stretches south from the site of the former Mayfield Station, now Depot Mayfield, towards the Mancunian Way. Formerly a mixed industrial area either side of the River Medlock it has been transformed. There are 140 trees spread across 58 species, 70 metres of the River Medlock unculverted, 230 square metres of rain gardens, 2,400 square metres of wildflower meadow and around 2,100 square metres of lawn. The park features space for everyone to use, including play areas, space for sports, an urban square, floodable meadows and quiet spaces. It opened to the public at 12.30pm on Thursday 22nd September 2022. It can be accessed from Baring Street in the west and Hoyle Street in the east from dawn until dusk, seven days a week.

Official website: Link

The city’s worker bee motif has been part of the city’s heraldry for more than 150 years as an emblem of the industrious Mancunian spirit. During 2017, it took on an even more powerful meaning as a symbol of unity following the tragic events of May 22 Link .

Bee in the City was a large-scale public art event which took place in Manchester between 23 July and 23 September 2018. More than 100 large, fibreglass bee sculptures were placed at the city’s landmarks and some lesser-known “undiscovered gems”. Each of the bees, which stand 1½ metres in height, was decorated with its own unique design, created by regional professional, emerging and amateur artists to celebrate the unique buzz of Manchester, from its industrial heritage to its vibrant music scene (Link Bee in the City website).

Alongside the event, young people from schools, colleges and youth groups across Manchester participated in a learning programme linked to the curriculum. A further 131 smaller bee sculptures were decorated as part of the learning programme and were included on the trail during the summer of 2018. The designs explored various themes, from equality and diversity to local history and bee conservation Link (Wild in Art).

At the end of the event, the majority (77) of the large bees were auctioned to raise funds for the We Love MCR Charity Link . All 131 “Little Bees” created by children and young people as part of the Learning Programme were returned to the schools and youth groups that designed them.

Depot Mayfield is a 10,000 capacity venue in the former Mayfield railway station. As part of a £1billion regeneration project in 2019, Depot Mayfield was transformed to provide a platform for a diverse program of arts, music, industry, culture, and community events in this unique found space showcasing Manchester's industrial past. The former railway station comprises of 5 large-scale spaces offering the ultimate industrial backdrop and three interlinking archways. The multiple flexible event spaces of varying sizes lend themselves to events of any size up to 10,000. Depot Mayfield launched in 2019 with Manchester Pride Live and has become home to The Warehouse Project and Escape to Freight Island, as well as hosting a number of conferences, product launches, sporting events, automotive events, and as a film and production set. Link