Vision for 100-mile network to link Manchester’s green and blue spaces
Cyan Lines will plug gaps in walking and cycling routes across Manchester and Salford in a bid to give the cities’ residents better access to nature.
The initiative will aim to create an uninterrupted 100-mile network incorporating existing pocket parks, canals, squares, and rivers.
It will join up green and blue spaces such as New Islington Marina, Mayfield Park, and Castlefield Viaduct Park.
The Cyan Lines initiative will launch on 10 September with an event at Aviva Studios in Manchester.
Cllr Bev Craig, Leader of Manchester City Council said Cyan Lines forms part of the city’s mission to be greener.
“The city has exciting plans in the long term but there’s more that we can do together,” she said.
“Cyan Lines is an exciting new initiative over the next decade to imagine and create 100 miles of connected parks, green spaces and waterfronts.”
She added: “As well as making our city a more attractive place, Cyan Lines will bring together the private, public, charity and voluntary sectors to unlock a raft of benefits for the city, from better health and wellbeing, through to increased urban biodiversity, a boost to tourism, more walking and cycling routes and, crucially, increasing the city’s resilience in the face of the changing climate.”
Manchester City Council is supporting and co-ordinating all Cyan Lines activity while it explores the most appropriate governance and delivery options, such as a CIC or charity.
The initiative is being steered by Urban Splash chair Tom Bloxham and Planit co-founder Pete Swift, who are mapping out potential pilot projects.
“We did not have hunting grounds for kings, dukes and lords in Manchester, so we have no grand central parks, but we do have excellent green, blue and brown spaces which, if joined up will provide an amazing legacy for future generations,” Bloxham said.
“Our Cyan Lines network will not just connect these amazing spaces but will create opportunities for more projects and for residents, community groups, businesses and charities to get involved.”
Swift said his hope is that Cyan Lines will speed up the change already happening across Greater Manchester.
“Greater Manchester’s towns and cities are slowly turning greener, but the pace is too slow,” he said.
“We look to cities like Copenhagen and Paris where through intentional and focused partnerships, united behind bold visions, good change can happen quickly.
“By reclaiming our urban spaces, connecting them up and creating green vibrant life, where people and nature can thrive, we will deliver a truly incredible legacy for the city and the millions living across its ten connected boroughs.”
Sounds promising. If this can tidy up streets and generally make the areas in between greener and nicer, then this is a very welcome initiative.
By Andee
Music to my ears
By Anonymous
Sounds like a great idea.
By Anonymous
All saints Park has been given to Manchester metropolitan University who lock the park up out of term to the public so no access to nature from a corporation
By Andrew wigley
Fantastic idea. A route planning app to allow people to create walking / running routes to match their location and fitness levels would really encourage people to use this network
By Mark
“We did not have hunting grounds for kings, dukes and lords in Manchester, so we have no grand central parks” uhhhhh… Trafford Park mate. Once a 1000 acre+ deer park which we turned into an industrial estate.
By H
Street trees would also have a big impact on the areas in between
By GetItBuilt!
I sincerely hope this is a total change of direction since all we keep getting so far are minuscule pocket parks and the council allowing developers the right to build all the way up to rivers/canals edges without access for the general public.
By Anonymous
@H – Trafford Park isn’t in the city of Manchester
By Ardy
Re Ardy
Ask anyone from the South East or indeed most of the rest of the country and it’s all Manchester.
By Peter Chapman
@H – Ardy is correct. Plus, it was turned into an industrial estate with good reason. Get down to Tatton Park if you want to bother deer.
By Trafford Park industrial estate forever
@ Peter Chapman – The South know nowt! As Tony Wilson (RIP) said when introducing Joy Division: “They’re a Manchester band, apart from the guitarist, who comes from Salford, a very important difference.”
By Boundaries matter!
Use the cash to buy Pomona…. perfect for a park
By Don cheglioni
Well I think this is a great project and I wish them the best of luck. As much as I’d love to pull a Fenton in Tatton Park I’m not allowed to because its not in the City of Manchester – boundaries matter!
By H
Does this article mean Manchester City or Greater Manchester ?
By Micky
Hmmm – there is already a Manchester Green Trail (see Greater Manchester Ramblers Website and Manchester Active website) and the Greater Manchester Ringway. re-inventing the wheel? why not build on what is already there.
By Salle Dare
@Salle Dare unfortunate terminology there reminds of John Prescott’s “Green Belt is a Labour policy and we’re going to build on it!”
By Cottonmetroplis
@boundaries matter ‘the south know nowt’ then proceeds to quote a southerner haha
By Anonymous
Liverpool also didn’t have hunting grounds for nobles but the amount of green space available is so much more than Manchester. This has nothing to do with nobles and everything to do with corporate greed.
By Beefy
@Beefy Toxteth Park was a royal hunting park, it could be said parks like Sefton Park were build for property development, leafy areas for parading and riding to attract affluent residents with the largest and most desirable plots around the park sold to rich merchants for their villas.
By GetItBuilt!
@Anon 5:05pm, are you referring to Tony Wilson? He was born in Pendleton and raised in Marple. He’s as northern as they come.
By red rose
Brilliant quote from the late, great Tony Wilson even if the Lead Singer was from Macc.
By Grimly Fiendish
@Red Rose – Correct! @Grimly Fiendish – Ian Curtis was born in Stretford. Aye, he was raised in Macclesfield but it was Stretford air that filled his lungs.
By Stretford Air
I think its really important for Salford and Bolton and all the other important areas not just to be labelled as Manchester if that’s what Southerners or people outside of Manchester think. Instead of being swallowed up by Manchester/Greater Manchester.
By Bob Dawson