How new water feature will be 'spectacular'

“People are going to be really surprised. It will be a real statement – I haven’t been to a city centre that has anything like it,” says Shelagh O’Neill, who has steered the City Park project from its conception.

Born and raised in the district, the project director and resources manager for economic development and property with Bradford Council is passionate about the £24.4million scheme which the Council has confirmed will now open in November.

“We are not aware of a bigger man-made city centre water feature – it will be really spectacular,” says Shelagh.

The six-acre park, featuring the vast, circular mirror pool, was a series of artist’s impressions prior to coming together before the eyes of the Bradford public.

The Council told the T&A that last year’s severe winter, coupled with adjustments which had to be made once work began on the ground, caused the knock-on effect of putting some work back.

But Councillor David Green, executive member for regeneration and the economy, says once completed, the site will be impressive. “Until it is there and working, people aren’t going to grasp how amazing it is.

“We have the artists’ impressions but even for those of us who have lived with it for 15 months, it is not until we see it that the spectacle will hit home,” he says.

Construction workers are laying hundreds of thousands of granite cubes that will make up a giant pool which will include striking water features such as fountains, jets and causeways.

Shelagh and her team travelled to cities across the UK including Manchester, Nottingham, Derby and London to look at other schemes with water features at the heart.

On a visit to see Nottingham city centre, Shelagh observed: “It was bitterly cold but the second they turned on the water people came to sit and have lunch. Water has a universal appeal – people find it soothing and intriguing.”

She adds: “We looked at all the different elements – how they were maintained, and managed.”

The project has presented challenges, in particular the partial demolition of the former police station. “With bus stops so close by we had to consider the inconvenience to the public and have tried to minimise that as much as possible,” Shelagh explains.

The Council worked closely with Metro to relocate affected bus stops, and has also worked with the Alhambra. “We didn’t want the work to impact on performances in terms of access and noise,” says Shelagh.

North Yorkshire-based Birse Civils, the main contractor on the site, has registered with the Considerate Constructors Scheme, which sets standards for neighbourliness, cleanliness and environmental care. Periodic assessments have drawn praise and commendations.

Work is being carried out using the highest-quality materials including porphyry, the stone used in Bradford’s heritage streets, and granite. These were not available locally and were sourced from overseas, but where possible local materials have been used.

“We have done a lot of work around sustainability and also used sandstone recycled from across the district,” says Coun Green. “We always look at using what we take up in other works.”

The team says the park will be a welcome shot-in-the-arm for traders. “Businesses are really excited about what the park can do for them,” says Coun Green. “It is almost a destination in itself and an events space.”

The park-in-the-making has inspired schoolchildren, who created works of art for display around the site.

Coun Green praises Shelagh and her team for the hard work they have put in. “It has been a real labour of love for them. An incredible amount of work has gone into this project and they deserve the credit for it,” he says.

He says the opening will be “gradual”, giving time for the mammoth project to bed in.

“It is certainly the biggest thing that has happened in Bradford for at least 50 years, and possibly the best thing that has been built here since City Hall,” says Coun Green.

“It has been designed to be the keystone of the city centre long after we’re gone.”