Community rally for Walsall Wood event
Date Published : 05 February 2010
A colliery brass band will be part of the attractions as a community celebrates a landmark Walsall Council project.
A replica Pit Head has been built on land off Lichfield Road in Walsall Wood.
Sillouettes of real Walsall Wood people will also be officially opened at the event at noon on Saturday 6 February 2010 at St John's church, High Street.
The pieces have been made by artist Luke Perry who has worked closely with the community.
At the event, residents will be able to hear about the project at the church before being given a map and allowed to explore the works.
The Highley Colliery band from Shropshire are set to play to recreate the feel of days gone by when Walsall Wood was a mining community.
Councillor Mike Flower, chairman of the Walsall Wood regeneration steering group, said: "This has been a brilliant project. We wanted to celebrate Walsall Wood's proud past but it a way that will put it on the map for the future.
"We asked what people would like to see and so many people told us that the village's mining roots are so important to them.
"The sillouettes are amazing. They are life size representations of real people and they have their own stories carved into them and what Walsall Wood means to them.
"I'd like to say a big 'well done' to Luke for working so hard and to all those who helped support this scheme."
Members of Shrophire-based Highley Colliery Band will play at the opening ceremony which will be attended by civic dignitaries, residents who worked on the project and members of the public.
Former miners and their relatives are expected at the opening event.
Councillor Adrian Andrew, Walsall Council cabinet member for regeneration, said that the scheme was part of a wider plan to regenerate Walsall Wood.
He said: 'This is another example of the council investing in districts and neighbourhoods across the borough.
"The Pit Head is such an impressive structure. At more than 50 foot high I inderstand this is the largest monument to mining anywhere in the world.
"This scheme will help put Walsall Wood on the map and help us as we try to attract new investment.
"This is about celebrating Walsall Wood's identity and heritage. Congratulations to all of those involved in the Walsall Wood regeneration steering group."
Walsall Wood was a thriving goods handling centre in the 19th century.
As a key link in the road, rail and canal networks thousands of tonnes of goods and raw materials passed through the town.
The Pit Head stands at the rear of Oak Park leisure centre, off Lichfield Road, close to the site of a colliery which was mined for almost 100 years until the 1960s.
The mining landmark and the silouettes can be seen from the road while a silouette fisherman can be seen from the canal that runs through the town.
Hopes are high the fisherman will attract narrowboaters to stop and explore the village.
It is hoped that the £40,000 artwork scheme will create a strong identity for Walsall Wood that will help build pride in the town and attract new investment.
Black Country artist Luke Perry, from Industrial Heritage Stronghold, has worked on other arts projects across the region.