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SAVE OUR SEA LIFE
VOLUNTEERS PITCH IN TO PROTECT LOCAL MARINE LIFE ON FORMBY BEACH!
VOLUNTEERS from a North
West
aquarium, the new Sea Life Manchester, organised a hugely successful beach
clean at Formby beach last week.
The team pulled together to clear massive amounts of litter from the
area in a bid to help the community and protect local marine life in
the area, in line with the brand's 3 pronged approach to
conservation: breed, rescue and protect.
The group paid particular attention to the area surrounding the
pier, one of the worst affected parts of the beach, particularly
during the school holidays. The problem has been exacerbated by the
recent bad weather, making it a difficult yet rewarding job for the
15 volunteers taking part.
Dumping waste on the coastline poses a fatal threat
to some of the UK's best-loved marine life, a problem that is
acutely worsened by high winds and flooding depositing further
unwanted debris and sewage in the water, often leading to an
increase in the amount of bacteria and viruses polluting the sea.
The clean up was very successful, with over 73kg of waste being
removed from the sandy beach over the course of the day.
Lucy Handel, displays curator at Sea Life Manchester said:-
"After the recent stormy weather we wanted to make sure that the
beach was cleaned up well to protect the marine life living there.
Over half term lots of families visit the coast, leaving behind huge
amounts of litter and endangering many of the sea creatures in the
area. Formby has a diverse range of wildlife living along its
coastline so we wanted to raise awareness of how important it is to
keep the water on our beaches clean."
By keeping beaches clean the teams from Sea Life
Manchester and LEGOLAND®
Discovery Centre, both located at the intu Trafford Centre, hope to
keep harmful materials away from marine animals. The beaches and the
creatures that live on or near them are threatened by litter and
hundreds of species eat or become entangled in the waste left in the
sea every year.
SEA LIFE Manchester opened in June 2013 and is the 14th SEA LIFE in
the UK, situated in a 36,000 square feet site in Barton Square at
the Trafford Centre, next to Merlin's very popular LEGOLAND®
Discovery Centre, which opened in March 2010.
The aquarium contains over 1 million litres of water
and features over 5,000 amazing sea creatures, 30 spectacular marine
displays and an incredible underwater ocean tunnel.
Guests are treated to a fully interactive experience where they can
meet a crab or touch a starfish in a touch pool area whilst also
being wowed by a range of creatures previously unseen in the region
including sharks, rays, seahorses and jellyfish.
The attraction is a celebration of the sea from start to finish,
providing an excellent focal point for education and marine
conservation in the region. With over 30 years experience in looking
after creatures the brand has a 3 pronged approach to conservation;
breed, rescue and protect; which is at the heart of everything that
Sea Life does.
For more information about Sea Life Manchester click
here or call:- 0871 221 2483.
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The Benefits of
Broadband
WORK is now underway on
£920,000 public realm improvements at Liverpool's Salthouse Dock.
The major scheme, which will take four months to complete, will
transform the footway area between Salthouse Quay and Gower Street,
creating a much more attractive open space, increasing accessibility
and safety for the public and maximising the area's potential as an
events space.
The work; which is being carried
out in partnership with Gower Street Estates, who are responsible
for the dock area; includes:-
► The removal of the low acoustic wall
(Wapping wall) that divides the footway of the Strand and the
quayside of Salthouse Quay. This wall currently presents a barrier
to access to the area, and detracts from its aesthetics. The wall
will be carefully broken up on site and removed to a recycling
depot, improving the vista and allowing a greater number of
pedestrians to safely access the site.
► The reconstruction of the existing
footway. The footway is currently a combination of cobbles and setts,
which are uncomfortable to walk on and can prove particularly
difficult for wheelchair and pushchair users. The new surface will
be a smooth paved finish, which will be far more accessible to
pedestrians.
► The removal of trees and replacement
with a reduced number of a more appropriate species. The existing
sycamore trees drop sap on the paved areas and cause issues for
pedestrians. They have also not weathered well, due to intolerance
to the high salt atmosphere on the waterfront. They will be replaced
by Salix Alba 'Liempde' trees, which are conical and
upright in shape, and are much more tolerant of salt laden wind and
wet atmosphere. The new trees are being planted using methods and
systems which ensure that they do not cause root damage to the
footway, which had been a problem with the sycamores.
Liverpool City Council's Cabinet Member for Transport and Climate
Change, Councillor Tim Moore, said:- "Salthouse Dock is an
important area on our waterfront which has needed investment for a
number of years; so I'm delighted that this work is now underway.
This scheme will make a real difference to the area, creating a more
attractive, vibrant and welcoming space. It will create a better
pathway for the public, enabling easier access to the Albert Dock.
And it will improve the flow and safety of the thousands of people
who visit Arena and Convention Centre Liverpool. We continue to
invest in our waterfront, and these improvements are the latest
example of the good work we are doing as part of our strategy to
drive forward the sustainable development of Liverpool south docks."
As part of the scheme, the council is also exploring the possibility
of erecting kiosks in the area in the future, making it a more
attractive location for tourists and workers and generating
long-term revenue benefits for the City.
The public realm works will also support the future development of
this area of the waterfront, including the new Exhibition Centre
Liverpool, which is due to be completed in 2015.
The works are being carried out in 2 phases:-
► Phase 1 - will include works at the
southern end adjacent to the large Wapping gable wall. This area
will be cleared and made safe prior to Christmas.
► Phase 2 - will commence early in the New
Year. Hoardings will be erected around the area which is undergoing
improvements, to work as a sight and sound barrier and to allow
works to continue with no inconvenience to the public.
The works have been designed to keep disruption to a minimum. One
lane of the Strand is being temporarily closed for the first phase.
However, it is anticipated that there will be no affect upon the bus
network.
There will be clearly signed pedestrian routes that will be lined
with safety barriers manned around the clock by a specialist traffic
management company. The existing Strand crossing point will remain
open at all times.
The heritage fencing that runs along the dock wall will be fenced
off, allowing access only for Canal and River Trust operatives and
members. The site will be fenced off at all times, and the area will
continue to be lit during the hours of darkness.
Traffic management will be maintained at all times, with 24 hour
call-out provision.
It is anticipated that the works will be completed by 31 March 2014;
in advance of the International Festival for Business; with only
tree maintenance (watering) taking place after this time. The works
are being funded through the Council's Capital Programme.
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