For two days streets in the heart of Manchester are being transformed into tranquil, people-centred spaces.
CyanLines is proud to be putting this initiative in place with the support of our partners at Manchester City Council, as well as Plant CIC, The RHS, National Trust, TfgM, Nature Towns and Cities, MCR Active, Sow the City, the University of Manchester, RSPB, Friends of the Earth, NHS GM and Dr Bike.
Tib Street and Nicolas Street are our ‘event sites’ where the public will be able to go and enjoy what we have on offer.
Some of the groups that will be at our pop-up locations will be the National Trust, The RHS, Sow the City, who will be offering apple tastings from local community orchards.
MCR Active will also be on hand to showcase what an ‘active street’ can look like, holding fun events for everyone to enjoy, and, the Canal and River Trust will be on site to showcase the wide array of easy and accessible walks across our city region.
Find out more and view the full programme here: www.cyanlines.com/walkonthewildside
Manchester City Council is using the event as a chance to ask people what they think of green spaces in the city centre, how they are used and whether they would like to see more. Please be sure to share your thoughts at manchester.gov.uk/green-spaces
Councillor Mandie Shilton Godwin, Executive Member for Clean Air, Environment and Transport, said: “We want to use this opportunity to showcase the positive impact that can be felt when we re-imagine what our street can be used for.
“Many people will fondly look back at times when there were fewer cars on the road, where people could use streets to meet one another and spend time, where kids could play without the fear of what danger lay on the road.
“This scheme is part of a wider trend in Manchester where we give more space for people and nature. Several years ago there were major doubts when steps were taken to pedestrianise Thomas Street in the Northern Quarter, and then give over large amounts of space for drinking and dining in Stevenson Square. But looking back, it is hard to imagine those spaces being for anything else.
“These are just two days out of 365, but I am hoping that as many people as possible will come and enjoy the events and maybe spark conversation about how they can travel in different ways around our city centre.”
Steve Connor, programme director, CyanLines said: “We’re on a mission to bring more nature into our city centre, and the activities we’ve planned with the Council and our many partners for Walk on the Wildside will do just that. The more opportunities we have to connect residents, businesses and visitors with nature, the closer we’ll get to realising our goal of creating an amazing city-wide network of green and blue spaces, woven together through CyanLines.”