Yesterday was a special day for Leicester Cathedral as Bishop Tim Stevens and City Mayor Sir Peter Soulsby layed down the first porphyry paving slab in the cathedral gardens.
Work on the £2.5million project began back in November 2013, and when complete it is hoped that the gardens will provide an attractive new public space which will be large enough to hold outdoor events with gathering space for up to 800 people for outdoor services, concerts and public events. The gardens will consist of areas of lawn, trees and flowerbeds, new seating, a water feature and incorporate many of the existing gravestones.
Alongside work on the gardens, improvements are being made to Peacock Lane and a stretch from Greyfriars to New Street is being pedestrianised.
Bishop Tim Stevens said “it will be a place of invitation for everybody, people who come to visit the city, people who live here, it will be a major public amenity and I think a very beautiful space”
Part of the work is being funded by a £1 million European Regional Development Fund and a further £1 million from the city councils capital works fund as well grants from the county council and Kirby Laing Trusts.
The gardens are planned to be finished by early June with a formal opening held on Saturday 5th July 2014.
