A substation at a park in Swindon has been transformed into a work of art after locals picked up the paint brushes.
The SSEN electrical substation at GWR Park in Swindon underwent roof repairs in November 2023, and was described by South Swindon Parish Council as ‘plain’ and ‘unimaginative’.
But a recent community painting initiative has now brought the park to life with a mural celebrating all things Swindon, created by the people of Swindon.
Unlike most murals which see an external artist come in to spruce the place up, the GWR Park mural was created in a ‘paint by numbers’ fashion that saw all members of the community, young and old, getting involved.
The mural has been painted piece by piece by members of the local Swindon community. (Image: South Swindon Parish Council)
“It was a great idea getting children (and adults) to take part in the mural by ‘painting by numbers,” said local resident and mother Becky Cox, who got involved in the fun.
“My four-year-old very much enjoyed it. It will be lovely to pass by the mural when it’s complete and say that we helped create it.”
The mural was designed by artists Caryyn Koh and Paul Exton from Artsite, and incorporates iconic local landmarks and images reflecting Swindon’s rich heritage.
The wall facing the Mother Language Memorial features the word “welcome” in many of the different languages that are spoken across Swindon.
The new park mural aims to provide a warm welcome to visitors of Swindon (Image: South Swindon Parish Council)
The community mural project is the culmination of two years of improvement works in GWR Park, as part of the Historic England Heritage Action Zone initiative.
Over the past two years, GWR Park has undergone several major transformations, with the addition of a new ‘Blossom Circle’, formal gardens, park furniture and information boards.
“The mural is a fantastic new addition to GWR Park, while paying respect to Swindon’s industrial heritage and diversity," said Councillor Junab Ali, of South Swindon Parish Council.
“We’re delighted that the local community has got involved in this project and they are now part of a little bit of history.
“We must thank Historic England and the National Trust for their continued support over the past two years.”
The former 'plain' substation in GWR Park is now a colourful work of art. (Image: South Swindon Parish Council)
Phillip Harland, SSEN's Team Manager for the area added: “It's great to see the transformation of this SSEN substation, from a plain building to this fabulous work of art that everyone can enjoy.
“We’d like to thank Swindon Parish Council, Artsite and the local community for all of their efforts to bring this project to life.”
The new mural will now be unveiled to the public on Monday morning, June 10 and all of Swindon are invited to come and visit it.
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