Work starts on Manchester’s Glade of Light

The memorial to the 22 people who lost their lives in the 22 May 2017 terror attack at the then-Manchester Arena is due to complete by December, after construction began this morning.

Called the ‘Glade of Light’, the feature is intended as a permanent memorial, located between Manchester Cathedral and Chetham’s School of Music, at the bottom of Fennel Street where it meets Victoria Street.

Designed by architects BCA Landscape and Smiling Wolf, in consultation with the families of those who died, the memorial comprises a tranquil garden space with a planting scheme that ensures year-round colour and reflects the changing seasons.

At the heart of the garden is a white stone ring ‘halo’, which will bear the names of the 22 people who lost their lives set in bronze, with personalised memory ‘capsules’, containing memories and mementos provided by loved ones – contained within the stone.

The December completion date means that the memorial will be complete in time for the fifth anniversary of the attack, Manchester City Council said today. The contractor is Galliford Try.

City council leader Sir Richard Leese added: “This memorial will be a lasting tribute to those who lost their lives on that devastating night. They, along with the many others who were left physically and mentally scarred by the attack, will never be forgotten.

“I hope the Glade of Light will provide some comfort to the loved ones of those who were killed and everyone who was touched by the events of that night as a place of peace and reflection in the heart of the city centre.”

And Elizabeth Bell, operations director of Galliford Try, said: “It is an honour for us to be contributing to this prestigious project, and we look forward to working with Manchester to create a special place in the city.”

Plans for the memorial were approved in January. It will form part of the regeneration of Manchester’s Medieval Quarter, which also incorporates the Cathedral and other historic city centre landmarks.