A COMMUNITY action day has been arranged in Spon End with the aim of improving the appearance of a ‘dull’ city centre subway.
Residents will get the chance to see how colourful lighting could be used to enhance the look and appeal of the underpass which runs under the ring-road next to Ikea in Coventry city centre.
The event on Saturday (July 14) will offer an array of activities and the opportunity for passers-by to share their own subway design ideas.
It has been organised by the ‘Local People Spon End’ project which is a community led street design initiative.
It was set up last year with the aim of enhancing public spaces and streets across the neighbourhood.
Funded by the People’s Health Trust, it is one of seven similar projects across the country being delivered by Sustrans, the charity that’s creating liveable neighbourhoods.
Over the last 12 months project coordinators, Daryl Coulbourn and Chloe Booth from Sustrans have arranged a number of ‘pop up’ engagement events.
At these sessions they’ve listened to residents’ ideas and helped them to develop designs which could be trialled.
The Spon Street subway was one of the locations identified through this process.
Community street design project officer Chloe Booth said: “This is a really exciting project and we would like to encourage people to stop by at the event on the day.
“We want to raise the profile of the work we’re doing with the subway because we understand that urban environments can have a huge impact on people’s health and wellbeing.
“Neighbourhoods that are pleasant, safe and sociable are often the happiest and healthiest places to live and work.
“Please come along to this exciting trial, tell us what you think of the coloured lighting and share your own subway ‘make-over’ ideas.”
The charity says the subway is a very well used route and a count from last year showed an average of more than 1000 journeys were made through the subway into town, during weekday mornings alone.
Targeted project engagement sessions have been held within the subway itself to talk to passers-by and find out their views about the subway.
The ‘dull appearance’, poor perceptions of personal safety and cleanliness were top mentions during these sessions.
The subway received a thorough clean and partial painting by the City Council last year.
The project is open to anyone who has a connection with Spon End and organisers want more people to get involved.
Please visit: www.facebook.com/LocalPeopleSponEnd for more information about the project which will conclude in March 2019.
