March 9, 2017
The developers behind Finzels Reach are asking the public to help find a name for Bristol’s newest bridge.
The distinctive S-shaped bridge, which connects Castle Park with the new city quarter being created on a former brewery site, is expected to open in early April.
Now developers Cubex are challenging people in Bristol to come up with ideas for bridge names, which will be shortlisted by a panel of judges before being put out to a final public vote.
The suitably named Gavin Bridge, director of Cubex, the developers behind Finzels Reach, said: “We decided to ask the public to help us name Bristol’s newest bridge as it’s in such a key location, with Bristol’s oldest bridge as its neighbour and close to the city’s Saxon origins.
“This city is renowned for its creativity so we thought it would be good to tap into this and we want to find a name that people locally will embrace, that takes into account the diverse communities in Bristol and will stand the test of time.
“The opening of the bridge will be an exciting milestone for this new quarter and the wider city. It will provide an important link to the city centre for pedestrians and cyclists, not to mention a striking new addition to the cityscape.
“We realise that some people are likely to have a bit of fun with this – and with a name like mine I’m sure there will be some humorous suggestions, but we’ve enlisted the help of a panel of judges to make sure the name is right for the bridge and right for Bristol.
“They’ll be picking a shortlist before we ask the public to make the final call.”
A judging panel representing a range of local interests will develop a shortlist of names from those suggested before putting the final decision out to a public vote.
Bristolians are invited to submit their ideas via a form on Finzels Reach’s website by March 17. Visit the Finzels Reach website to make your submission.
The judging panel will include representatives from Cubex, local politicians, Bristol Civic Society, Bristol Shopping Quarter, Castle Park Users Group and Sustrans.
Made from a series of unique curved steel sections topped with timber decking, sculptured cladding and feature lighting, the £2.7 million bridge is destined to become a new landmark in Bristol, as it snakes its way gracefully across the historic waterway accommodating the 7.5 metre height difference between the two banks.
When the bridge opens, the new thoroughfare will create a bustling new cycling and pedestrian route, completing an attractive walkway from Temple Mead to Castle Park and the retail areas of Cabot Circus. It will help knit the Finzels Reach site back into the fabric of the city, after more than 100 years of being effectively closed off to the general public, when it was used as a sugar refinery and later a brewery.
The ferry landing stage in Castle Park has also seen a £30,000 upgrade as part of the work, which will improve access to the boats and increase ferry passenger numbers.
Author: David Clensy, Bristol Post