New mural brightens Garston Way Bridge

A vibrant new mural on Garston Way Bridge has been designed by local artist ‘Betarok 75’ with the help of the charity Sustrans, Liverpool City Council and Global Street Art to brighten up the neighbourhood and encourage pedestrians into Garston shopping centre.

The artwork is part of the People’s Health Trust’s ‘Healthy Places Healthy People’ project to develop grassroots creative ideas which improve Garston Village.

Local Ward Councillors together with students from Enterprise South Liverpool Academy (ESLA) were key to helping develop the striking artwork which has been funded using money raised by ‘HealthFit’ through the Health Lottery.

Artist Betarok 75 with pupils from ESLA
Artist Betarok 75 with pupils from ESLA

Local people identified the gloomy appearance of Garston Way Bridge on Church Road as a significant barrier for people to access the shops on St Mary’s Road. The Council, with the assistance of students and the Head of Art at ESLA, worked with Global Street Art and the artist to develop colourful designs to reflect the simple lines of the bridge and road and create an attractive focal point for the area.

Students from ESLA made the final decision on the preferred design and colour palette.

Councillor Malcolm Kennedy, Liverpool City Council’s Cabinet member for regeneration, commented: “This is a key gateway between the village and the residential and industrial areas in Garston under the bridge, and a main route for pedestrians.

“It is an eye-catching scheme which will brighten up the area and draw people in to the local shops. It captures the imagination and can’t be missed.”

Mark Jenks, Sustrans project co-ordinator said: “When we started workshops in 2014 local people told us that the appearance of Garston Way Bridge was a real and psychological barrier to them using the shops on St Mary’s Road.

“They have helped to revive the bridge into an attractive feature to help rebuild links between these communities.”

David Jones, Director of Grant Programmes at The Peoples Health Trust commented: “It is fantastic that local schoolchildren have worked together with a local artist, Sustrans and Liverpool City Council to create this mural and improve something in their neighbourhood that they felt needed changing.”

 

Pictured are ward councillor Mary Rasmussen (left) artist Betarok 75 (centre) and Head of art at ESLA Lorraine Hughes (right) with pupils. 

Liverpool Waterfront