Published on Monday 10 October 2022
Photograph shows (L to R); Sam Cox, Venue Manager at Old Fire Station, Alan Dove Head of Commercial Services SUBU, Chris Shephard, Director of Economic Development BCP Council, Councillor Phillip Broadhead, Deputy Leader BCP Council and Portfolio Holder for Development, Growth and Regeneration and Iona Tovey, Lansdowne Programme Manager.
On Friday 7 October 2022, business owners, community representatives and members of BCP Council gathered at dusk to officially mark the commissioning of the new Chine Forest Artworks, situated outside the Old Fire Station on Holdenhurst Road.
The transformed Fire Station Square will be open to bookings via BCP Council from local businesses, organisations and groups, with the artworks and space also available as a venue for showcasing new talent, performance and ideas. The aim is to draw visitors to Lansdowne, with entertainment and activities that encourage people to spend more time enjoying the area’s vibrant independent business district.
To show off the new event space, Holdenhurst Road played host to an array of pop-up entertainment, with dance, musical and walkabout theatre performances marking the special occasion.
This entertainment intertwined with the Chine Forest art installation, which is made up of seventeen steel columns of varying heights and boasts integrated light and sound elements, providing a beacon for events and creating an immersive experience for people.
Urban and public space designers at Dallas Pierce Quintero were commissioned to design and deliver the artworks, which evoke memories of Bournemouth’s famous chines and pines. As part of their design process, Dallas Pierce Quinter took into consideration local heritage and cultural themes of technology, innovation, and nature that were identified by local people during the Lansdowne Cultural Consultation held in 2020.
The artworks and event space are the final elements to be delivered within the initial phases of BCP Council’s ambitious Lansdowne programme.
This delivery of improvement works began in 2021 and has seen a series of positive changes to the public realm on Holdenhurst Road. This includes the widening of pedestrian areas, high quality paving, lighting, as well as attractive street furniture, seating and planters.
Chris Shephard, Director of Economic Development at BCP Council said:
"It’s great to celebrate this new space and artwork with partners who helped to make it possible, and those who will benefit most from the many improvements that we have made to the area.
"It’s been a long journey and I look forward to seeing events brought forward and hosted here, as well as seeing the Chine Forest artwork capture people’s imagination.
"Our vision is that investment will now also create a springboard for attracting future investment in Lansdowne, improving the prospects of local businesses and enhancing the area as a great place to live, work, study and enjoy.’’
To deliver these improvements £4.8 million in government funding was secured through Dorset Local Enterprise Partnership Local Growth Fund. A further £2.9 million of council match funding from local contributions was also allocated. The commitment to fund the programme was made as early as 2017 and could not be spent or allocated elsewhere.