Makeover for Melksham’s ‘faded’ underpass

Local artists have teamed up to start a regeneration project for Melksham’s underpass in the hope that it can become a source of pride for the town.

Melksham artist Kelly Hatt, and Melksham Oak teachers Martina Liggins and Naomi Charles held a public meeting last month to discuss the future of the walkway, and are appealing to Melksham people to get involved.

Kelly said, “We hope to create an inspiring installation that not only people of Melksham can enjoy, but that also welcomes travellers and visitors arriving by train to the town. We hope to provide a well-lit, safe environment, as well as a stimulating design and attracts the whole community.

“We have decided on having Melksham through time as the theme for the design, and would really like local people to send us photos of places, people, and events in the town throughout history. We plan on combining photographs and imagery with artwork from Melksham schools.

“We hope to create a sense of ownership and pride towards the underpass; it would be great to get the whole community involved in this project to not only make it a success, but also to look after the area in the future.

“So far we have had a brilliant response from our survey, but we are still looking for people to tell us about their views and experiences of the underpass and what they want to see happen in the area.”

Ex-Melksham Oak student, Toby Southgate, uses the underpass regularly as part of his commute to Bristol College.

Toby said, “The area has seen better days. The underpass used to be nice but has faded away and isn’t very inviting anymore. It definitely needs something new to liven it up.”

The underpass, which provides a safe way for pedestrians and cyclists to cross Beanacre Road, was last painted over 20 years ago. Melksham Oak teacher Naomi Charles took part in the original design.

Naomi said, “The underpass was painted in the late 1980s when I was a student at George Ward. It was painted to reflect the River Avon. This time around we’d like it to be a timeline of Melksham and include landmarks and local people. We hope it will be a project by, for, and about the  Melksham community.”

A meeting was held at Melksham Oak School on Wednesday 13th April, to get feedback from local people.

Kelly Hatt said, “It was great to get the conversation started about the improvements to the underpass, and everyone at the meeting agreed that the space could be amazing.

“The key issues raised were lighting, graffiti, CCTV, access, and the artwork. A discussion about lighting reflected our survey results, which show that 75% of respondents regard lighting as extremely important and not currently acceptable. We looked at other subway projects and agreed that the most successful were those with areas flooded with bright light which attracted attention from  the surrounding area.

“It was agreed that enlisting the help of as many people from the town as possible would be extremely exciting and would make the project something that everyone can enjoy. As this project is being run entirely by volunteers, we will soon be approaching local businesses for crucial sponsorship and donations, as without them it may not be possible to complete the project to the high standard that it deserves.”

Kelly and Martina are hoping that lots more people will complete their online survey at www.sur veymonkey.com/s/T99Z3P7, send photos, and help with sponsoring the project.

Photographs to be used for the artwork can be emailed to ligginsm@melk shamoak.wilts.sch.uk.

Since the meeting they have been researching materials, with an eye on acrylic panels and tiles, which could be easy to decorate and maintain.

They have also enlisted the help of local military artist Richard Salter, a competitor on this year’s BBC’s Big Painting Challenge.

To find out more about the project search for ‘Melksham Underpass Project’ on Facebook and Twitter.