Locations and artwork confirmed for new North Tyneside memorial areas

Five North Tyneside sites will become the home for new memorials to mark the impact of the Covid-19 pandemic in the North East.

Late last year, North Tyneside Council asked the public to vote on artwork to be included in the areas.

Those votes are now in and the Council has announced the winners and confirmed locations for the sites.

All designs centre around a compass design as the word 'compass' in Latin means 'journey together', something the council deemed poignant after the last couple of years.

The locations for the areas of reflection have been confirmed as Killingworth Lakeside Park, Churchill Playing Fields (Whitley Bay), Redburn Dene Park (North Shields), Wallsend Hall grounds and Silverlink Biodiversity Park.

In the centre of each compass will be the winning artwork as voted for by residents.

These include designs associated with George Stephenson, St Mary’s Lighthouse, fishing/Fish Quay and shipbuilding.

The fifth compass, which will be located in Silverlink Biodiversity Park, will feature a sun to complement the existing sundial in the park.

North Tyneside Elected Mayor, Norma Redfearn CBE said: “The areas will be a place where people can visit to remember the loved ones they tragically lost, as well as offering a space to reflect on the impact that the pandemic had on us all, but to also remember the ways in which people came together to support one another.

"As always, community spirit shone through in North Tyneside and continues to do so.

“The areas of reflection are for each and every one of our residents and it was hugely important to us that they had the opportunity to be involved. I’d like to thank everyone who took part in the survey and thank those who asked that we create these spaces.

“I am also delighted local businesses in North Tyneside and Northumberland will be helping to create the areas and memorials.”

The areas of reflection will start to be installed in the spring.