Ahead of the third anniversary of the first national lockdown (23 March), North Tyneside Council is encouraging the public to visit the borough’s areas of reflection.
Five lasting memorial areas were unveiled across North Tyneside last year to help people to remember and reflect upon the impact of the coronavirus pandemic.
Connected to the borough’s 30-mile waggonway network, the areas of reflection are places where people can visit to remember the loved ones that they tragically lost during the pandemic, as well as offering a space to reflect on the impact the pandemic had on us all and remember the ways in which people came together to support one another.
North Tyneside Elected Mayor, Dame Norma Redfearn DBE said: “The areas of reflection, which were created with help from our communities, have been a much-welcomed addition to our popular wagonways.
“They offer us a quiet and special contemplation space to help remember the loved ones we tragically lost, the sacrifices many of us made, as well as the unwavering dedication of our NHS and other partners.
“Locations that link with the waggonways were chosen after they were so well used by the public during the pandemic, and we wanted to encourage people to continue to use them and explore the routes and reflection spaces.”
All of the reflection areas are based around the theme of a compass, detailed in decorative hard landscaped paving, with seating provided and natural planting, as places to sit and reflect.
There is a special significance behind the compass design – the word compass combines the two Latin words – ‘com’ which means together and ‘passus, meaning pace of step. Together, they can be taken to mean ‘journey together’ – something the people of North Tyneside did throughout the pandemic.
The artwork in the centre of the compass is unique to the location where it is situated and was chosen with help from local communities.
The locations and associated artwork include:
- Silverlink Biodiversity Park – sundial design
- Killingworth Lakeside Park – George Stephenson design
- Redburn Dene Park (North Shields) – fishing design
- Souter Park (Whitley Bay) – lighthouse design
- Wallsend Hall grounds – shipbuilding design.
To encourage the wagonways continued use and help people easily find the areas of reflection, the council produced maps so that cyclists, walkers and wheelchair users can navigate their way between each or all of the sites. Maps of the routes to the reflection areas can be found here: Areas of reflection and contemplation.
