Extreme makeover for Kendal subway

24 June 2010

Work is due to start on a dramatic makeover for the subway that runs under Romney Bridge in Kendal. The idea first came from a South Lakeland Crime and Disorder Reduction Partnership (CDRP) project and art exhibition with year 7 students from QKS and KKS in 2008. Students discussed the areas where they lived or played and gave the thumbs up or thumbs down to certain parts of Kendal. The subway under Romney Bridge got a big thumbs down because it was dirty, smelly and dark, with graffiti covered walls.

Now, thanks to closely working with the Kendal Impact Social Society (KISS) art project run by Impact Housing, hundreds of mosaic panels have been completed to cover one wall as part of Phase One.  Add in funding from Cumbria County Council and South Lakeland CDRP to install new lights and this high profile makeover has come together.

It will start with improved lighting being installed week commencing 5 July. Once the lights are up and running offenders, who have been sentenced by the courts and under the supervision of the Cumbria Probation Trust, will step in and power wash the walls, in readiness for the hanging of the panels, a big job that they will also help with.

Over 500 panels have been completed, mainly by local people, following workshops in the Westmorland Shopping Centre, but visitors from as far a field as Canada and Japan also completed panels.

Superintendent Cath Thundercloud, CDRP Respect Task Group Chair, said, “ This project has taken a long time to pull together, but the end result will be fantastic for the community who use the subway to walk to school or work. We felt it was vitally important that the young people who were involved in the initial project back in 2008 were able to be involved in this next phase and are delighted that they were able to take part in the mosaic workshops held in the Westmorland Shopping Centre. We especially would like to thank the Westmorland Shopping Centre and Kirkbie Kendal School for their support in this project.”

Mike Muir, Chief Executive of Impact Housing, said, “We work with many young people in the South Lakes area. This is a great example of young people putting something back into the local community. This project is something that no-one made them do, they have chosen to make this contribution and they are a credit to us all!”