Tag: civic Quarter

#365daysofbiking Oddly empty

March 19th – Returning from work late, around 8pm I sailed through the Civic Quarter in Walsall and found it oddly bereft of people and even the roads were quiet.

Glad to see someone has finally painted over the horrid spots on Hatherton House which although painted by the tenant, were nothing short of an act of vandalism to a historic building.

This place is always odd at night: I love the interrelation of the light, trees and built environment but will always hate those streetlights. Awful design.

This journal is moving home. Please find out more by clicking here.

from Tumblr https://ift.tt/2UMNXYa
via IFTTT

#365daysofbiking Wet stone:

November 27th – Returning home just as the rain stopped, the streets and buildings of Walsall glistened beautifully in the soft evening light.

Leicester Street always makes for a fine night photo but when wet, even better.

This area is not just the beurocratic heart of Walsall with it’s Town Hall, Council House and Civic Centre, but also the centre of the night-time economy too, with large pubs that seemed quiet tonight. 

And, despite the total absences of any Christmas decorations, it felt rather, dare I say it – Christmassy.

October 19th – A day marked by a ludicrously early start and thoroughly wet, rain-sodden homeward darkness commute. The weather really isn’t being kind to me this week.

The riding wasn’t bad, really – they do say drowning is quite pleasurable once you stop fighting it, and I flowed like the rainwater through the streets from Darlaston with an occasionally startling crosswind. Reaching the town centre, I took a short cut past the civic centre. With nobody about and beautifully glistening surfaces, it made for a good night shot.

If the weather-gods are reading this, can I please have some dry, non-windy weather for a short while please? I’d be ever so grateful…

July 6th – Passing through Walsall and making a few calls on a periodically sunny morning, I was intrigued by the laser cur plate in the railings and the shadow it cast. 

That’s a lot of effort to go to for a plain, mostly overlooked bit of street furniture, and I only spotted it by the shadow cast.

I wish the photo had come out as well as it looked at the time!

October 8th – Unusually, I’d had to go into Walsall and on to Wednesbury on a Saturday. The thoroughly uninspiring, grey afternoon was sad, as the forecast had been quite good. It was a good ride though, and I got lots of stuff done. Retuning at dusk, I span through the ‘Civic Quarter’ of Walsall , and stopped to look up Tower Street.

The Council House and it’s belcote are still impressive, but I dislike the striped paving and excessive street furniture here immensely – and the blue lights on the Gala Baths don’t help; but this was a quiet, pleasant place to reflect on the unexpected beauty of Walsall and what wonderful, clashing influences make up it’s urban core.

December 21st – Walsall’s Gala Baths, wedged in-between the Council House, library and the ‘civic quarter’ on Tower Street seem very popular; featuring a good size swimming pool with and additional brine pool and gym. It was clearly busy when I passed mid-vining, and it makes for an interesting night photograph with the curious lighting. 

It’s due a refurbishment soon, to bring the early 60s building up to modern standards. A fine thing indeed, of which Walsall can be proud.

December 1st – Coming through Walsall early evening was oddly festive. Although I loathe the striped paving and out of place lighting columns, I love the ‘Civic Quarter’ at night.

Such a combination of architecture, surface, artificial light and mature urbanness. A very photogenic, under appreciated corner of Walsall.

January 17th – Rotate ninety degrees sunwise from the bell tower, and there’s Darwall Street in a precious golden hour. This is the risibly named ‘Civic Quarter’ which, as home to several large bars, is more properly thought of as the centre for Walsall’s night time economy. 

Ignoring the odd aberration, most buildings here are historic and repurposed; an old cinema – The Imperial – is now a pub, as is the former Registry Office. Walsall swapped certificate and celluloid for a pie and a pint.

Apart from the jarring paving and hideous street lights, this is a nice spot, with plenty of history and physical geography not too far away.

Behind the buildings on the left, the Ford Brook leaves cover and skulks through town in the open for a short while, often stinking the place out. It’s a major tributary of the Tame, and will never lead to Walsall threatening the tourist trade of Bourton on the Water.

It’s not a bad town, really. Just badly misunderstood. Sadly, most grievously by many who live here.

October 31st – I passed through Walsall’s ‘Civic Quarter’ on the way home, having to post some mail, which I always prefer to do at a main post office. Some years ago, the area of Leicester, Darwall and Tower Streets was refurbished in a peculiar style, with striped limestone paving, and oddly discordant street furniture and lighting. Although most of the town’s civic buildings are here – Council House, Town Hall, Civic Centre, Post Office –  this is also a place of bars and night-time economy. Tonight, as darkness fell, it was oddly busy at the top end, but more deserted behind me.

An odd part of town, really, and I could never love that paving.