All Change for Splash Point!
Tue, 14 Jul 2009 16:41:58 BST
All Change for Sea Change - Splash Point
Worthing’s seafront at Splash Point is to get a £500,000 cultural makeover thanks to a successful bid by the council for funding from the government’s Sea Change programme!
The money will be used to create an arts, cultural and meeting space which will see the revival of the original speakers’ corner, new seating, lighting and an informal performance area, which will bring enjoyment and life to the seafront for visitors and local people and a stimulus for local businesses.
The Landscape Institute launched the design competition which ended on 5th June (see link http://www.landscapeinstitute.org/news/competitions.php )
Following a stage 1 judging process, four shortlisted architects have now been shortlisted to work up their designs for Splash Point further before the stage 2 judging takes place.
From the 31st August to 4th September between 9- 5pm an exhibition will be placed in the Town Hall where the shortlisted architect/designers will display their work for public viewing/comment
The shortlisted designers can be found by accessing the links below which will take you to their websites:
BDP
Craft: pegg
Camlin Lonsdale
Scott Wilson
The arts and cultural development at Splash Point will provide the
gateway into the active beach zone, where art and beach activities take place
as well as the proposed new swimming pool.
Cabinet member for regeneration, Ann Barlow is really excited by the news. She said: “This
is just brilliant news for the town.
I’ll be looking forward to seeing some incredibly creative designs as to
how the whole area will look and feel.
This is going to be a great cultural asset attracting people to our
lovely seafront.”
The Sea Change programme was set up to reinvigorate England’s coastal resorts through investment in culture and heritage. Worthing is one of the nine councils chosen to receive the grant in the second wave of funding.
The Sea Change programme is managed by the Commission for Architecture and the Built Environment (CABE). The Worthing project will take the form of a design competition which will be launched over the next few weeks, managed by the Landscape Institute. The winning design will be chosen in October and the process will include public consultation. The new look Splash Point will be completed within 18 months.
The council is already working with Worthing Arts Council to develop a programme of performance and other cultural events ready to start when the project is complete.
CABE website with news on Splash Point : http://www.cabe.org.uk/news-and-events
http://www.cabe.org.uk/news/sea-change-wave-three
Speakers Corner
Thanks to our successful bid to CABE for £500,000 from the governments Sea Change programme, which made mention of restoring Speakers Corner at Splash Point, a resident of Worthing Mr John Radford, called our press officer to say he had the original sign tucked away somewhere in his spare room, after finding it washed up on the beach around 9 years before following a particularly violent storm!
He had forgotten all about it and wasn’t certain where it had come from as it was found quite far away form it’s original home, he then saw our press release and got in touch.
The Programme Team along with the leader of Worthing Borough Council Keith Mercer, went and met Mr Radford, who was more than happy to return the sign to us for our restoration of Speakers Corner at Splash Point!
Our thanks to John Radford for returning the Speakers Corner sign to its original home, and for providing such a fitting story to our project!
