Get Involved

Do you love Library Walk too?! There are several ways to show your appreciation and support the cause to Save Library Walk!

Below are details of future events/ meetings and ways to help the campaign:

• Join our Facebook Group
• Sign the petition
• Get in touch, email: savelibrarywalk@gmail.com
• Write a letter of objection to your councillor asking them to object to the proposal and/or planning committee officers – here is a handy guide from the lovely Manchester Modernists

FUTURE EVENTS:

2014

• Monday 28th July 6pm Seminar Room 3:01 in the New Business School at MMU (next to All Saints Park).  MMU All Saints Map (building no. 4). Please note this is a change of venue and is fully accessible, there is a lift to the 3rd Floor. Meeting to discuss the Public Enquiry. Everyone who supports our aims is welcome to attend. The briefing will include colleagues from the Open Spaces Society and Manchester Modernist Society and other interested parties.  Please join us if you are able to act as a witness for Friends of Library Walk,  want  to make your own representations at the inquiry (we can make sure we all have the most up to date information) or you have  any information that could be useful.  We will offer you as much support as possible to make sure your voice is heard.

PAST EVENTS:

2013

• Tuesday 16th October 2pm Manchester Town Hall Committee Room 11 – Neighbourhoods Scrutiny Committee:  The decision of the Exec Committe has been called in “To allow for evidence from Friends of Library Walk and other groups about the history, design and usage of Library Walk to be discussed and for other aspects of the St Peter’s Square  Framework to be scrutinised.” We have applied to speak at the meeting and supportive faces in the audience are very welcome – there really is strength in numbers at meetings like this!
• Wednesday 17th October 6-8pm at Bakerie Tasting Store off Lever Street (behind The Hive) – Friends of Library Walk meeting: An informal meeting where we will share any developments, news and information and – crucially – finalise our statement to the planning committee
• Thursday 25th October 12noon at Riba Hub Cafe (Portland St) for a joint event with manchester modernist society – this will be an informal chat, with speakers and slides showing the history and beauty of Library Walk. Then we will all go to the planning committee meeting; you are welcome to join us at Riba or The Town Hall.
• Thursday 25th October 2pm at Manchester Town Hall – Planning Committee Meeting. This is the big one where we need as many people as possible; its where the final decision is made. Please, please join us if you can.
• Event, 11 September 2012: Friends of Library Walk celebrate Manchester’s most unique walkway Meet at Piccadilly Gardens Fountain at 6pm, bring pots and pans to make noise with, we’ll have placards and badges! We will then walk from here to Albert Square. They’ll be talks about the importance of this little walkway including one from Jonathan Schofield, A Manchester tour guide and journalist.

Pick up your free badge at our Celebrate Library Walk Event!

• Press Release about event: Campaigners opposed to the proposed redevelopment of Manchester’s Library Walk will host a celebration of the unusual walkway on Tuesday 11 September.  The public gathering will celebrate what the Friends of Library Walk consider one of Manchester’s most distinctive and best-loved urban spaces, and draw attention to what they feel are harmful plans for its development, in the run-up to a planning decision by Manchester City Council in October.

  Library Walk is a pedestrian walkway between St. Peter’s Square and Mount Street in Manchester city centre.  Its distinctive curved shape is formed by the interlocking of Grade-II* listed buildings Manchester Central Library and the Town Hall Extension, both created by the celebrated architect  E. Vincent Harris in the 1930s.  1200 people have already signed a petition to protest plans drawn up by Beetham Tower architect Ian Simpson, as part of the refurbishment of the two buildings and St. Peter’s Square, which would gate and glaze the passage and make it inaccessible for eight hours each night.

  The celebration event will begin at 6.00pm in Piccadilly Gardens, from where a walking procession will cross the city centre via Albert Square to the Peace Gardens. Musicians will accompany the event, which will also feature talks from experts and local figures who are passionate about the threatened space.

  Tom Hiles of the Friends of Library Walk said, “The purpose of our group is to celebrate and cherish this very special public space which belongs to everyone in Manchester, and our campaign has always been a positive one. This event will be a chance for everyone who loves Library Walk to come together and share stories and thoughts about it, and the issues surrounding the council’s proposed plans. 

  “Holding a celebration will provide the perfect opportunity to demonstrate the strength of people’s passion and concern for Library Walk. We want to see loads of people turn out to send the strongest possible message from the public to the council: that Library Walk is perfect as it is and that the plans are unnecessary and a waste of money.”

  Everyone is welcome to join the event, and any musicians, performers or passionate advocates of the walkway who would like to be part of the celebration are invited to get touch by emailing savelibrarywalk@gmail.com.

• Come along to The Planning Committee hearing. This will now be held on 25th October 2pm. Check back for more details.

There is also a group who are campaigning for an appropriate Peterloo Massacre Memorial, they can be found here: Peterloo Massacre Memorial Campaign