Top award for Rochdale canal project

Winning group with Living Waterways Award certificate
(left to right: Lucy Rogers, Canal & River Trust; Jon Stopp, Canal & River Trust; Anne Holdsworth, Calderdale Council; Neil Paterson, Calderdale Council; Ruth Hair, Pennine Prospects; Paul Monahan and Diana Monahan, community volunteers) — Winning group with Living Waterways Award certificate (left to right: Lucy Rogers, Canal & River Trust; Jon Stopp, Canal & River Trust; Anne Holdsworth, Calderdale Council; Neil Paterson, Calderdale Council; Ruth Hair, Pennine Prospects; Paul Monahan and Diana Monahan, community volunteers)

Towpath improvements, unique artwork, engaging signage, wildflowers and canal-side events have helped make the Rochdale Canal and its surrounding area the destination of choice for many.

It’s thanks to a collaboration between Calderdale Council, Pennine Prospects, the local community and Canal & River Trust.

Their project – Rochdale Canal Connections – won the Art and Interpretation category in the Living Waterways awards, run by Canal & River Trust.

Coun Scott Benton, Calderdale Council’s Cabinet Member for Corporate Asset and Facilities Management, Housing and Environment, said: “We’re thrilled that our wonderful community project has won this prestigious award.”

The project, driven by the community, has seen also seen the installation of pieces of artwork, designed to tell the story of the canal’s heritage.

Different artists were commissioned to work with communities to create the artwork, which range from a seat in the shape of two horses in Hebden Bridge and stone barges in Luddendenfoot, to a hawk sculpture in Mytholmroyd.