Visitors will be able to flock to Manchester's new skyline park from the end of this month, the National Trust has announced.
The Castlefield Viaduct park will open to members of the public from Saturday 30 July, just five months after work began on the historic steel structure. The park will remain open for 12 months, during which time visitors can explore part of the viaduct and find out more about the viaduct’s heritage, the city’s long relationship with plants and trees and learn urban gardening tips.
Speaking ahead of today's preview event, Hilary McGrady, Director-General of the National Trust, called the day an "incredibly exciting" realisation of a "long-term vision".
"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," she said.
"It’s about creating something new for the community, while also protecting an iconic piece of industrial history."
The park will be free to enter, but admission is limited - due to weight restrictions on the Victorian structure, visitors will need to book tickets in advance. Guided tours will also be available as part of the experience.
The Grade II listed viaduct, which was built by Heenan & Froude — the same firm that constructed the Blackpool Tower - also has individual community gardens planted by project partners Castlefield Forum, Science and Industry Museum, Urban Wilderness and City of Trees.
Described as an 'urban park,' the elevated green space celebrates the industrial heritage of Castlefield which has been reflected through all elements of the design. A section of land has also been left untouched, to give visitors a sense of how nature has reclaimed the space since the site closed in the late 1960s.
“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," McGrady said.
"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.”
The site will be open to welcome 100 people a day from next Saturday 30 July.
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