As work continues to refurbish Ipswich Cornhill, the borough has launched a competition to find four aspects of the town’s life to be included on the artwork in front of the new Pret A Manger takeaway.
The artwork will include arches and be the focal point of an area with benches to allow people to sit down in fine weather – and it will reflect key areas of the town’s life.
The borough has come up with a list of 15 aspects of Ipswich life which could be marked on the sculpture – and has asked the public to vote for the four they think are important to them.
The proposals cover all aspects of Ipswich’s life – from the history of the town stretching back to the Dark Ages to the golden years of the town’s football club between 1960 and the turn of the 21st century.
They cover the life of Cardinal Wolsey to Ipswich’s great engineering giants like Robert Ransome.
And they also include its cultural role in life – from its collection of works by Suffolk painters Constable and Gainsborough through to its performance art roles at the town’s theatres and DanceEast.
Of course there is also a chance to recognise the town’s sporting heroes – especially footballing knights Sir Alf Ramsey and Sir Bobby Robson.
The artwork has already become a talking point of the Cornhill redevelopment even before it is actually installed – but it is hoped that if people have the opportunity to help choose what is on the arches they will feel it is more relevant to the town.
Ipswich Council leader David Ellesmere said it was important for him and his colleagues that residents and regular visitors had a say in what was included on the arches.
He said: “Ipswich has a fantastic history and we wanted to recognise that in the artwork that will be installed on the new Cornhill.
“It is very important that we celebrate the people from Ipswich who have made a great impact on the world and on the town itself – and we want to give people the opportunity to have their say on who is recognised on this feature.”
To vote for your favourite stories visit here There is a simple form to fill in and the survey closes on Friday March 9 to give time for the winning entries to be included on the arches by the time they are unveiled in the autumn.
The 15 choices for the Ipswich Arches
1 IPSWICH PIONEERS: Cardinal Wolsey, anti-slavery campaigner Thomas Clarkson, aviatrix Edith Cook, inventor Robert Ransome.
2 A GLOBAL TOWN: The flows of exploration and immigration that have made Ipswich a global town … Vikings, Huguenots, Eldred, Gosnold, Cavendish, Windrush, south Asia, eastern Europe.
3 A PLACE OF WELCOME: IBC’s declaration: “Ipswich will serve as a Town of Sanctuary for genuine asylum seekers and refugees … forced to flee from their own countries to avoid persecution or danger.”
4 FOOTBALLING KNIGHTS: Sir Alf Ramsey and Sir Bobby Robson. ITFC is the only club to have produced two England managers. World Cup, Division 1, FA Cup and UEFA Cup winners.
5 WOLSEY’S UNIVERSITY: Cardinal Wolsey began building a great college in Ipswich in 1528. His dream was realised in 2016 by the establishment of the University of Suffolk.
6 THE GATES OF IPSWICH: The gates of Ipswich – North, West, East and South (Wolsey’s gate).
7 FOUR FIGURES: A new interpretation of the four figures on top the Town Hall: Commerce, Agriculture, Law & Order and Justice.
8 HISTORIC TOWN:ypeswyk to Ipswich … the oldest Anglo-Saxon town becomes a regional centre for commerce, culture, sport and technology.
9 ARTS AND CULTURE: Museums, theatres, DanceEast and art.
10 GREEN IPSWICH: Green living … Ipswich is home to beautiful parks providing a haven for wildlife.
11 TREASURE HOUSE: Christchurch Mansion houses the finest collection of Constables and Gainsboroughs outside London.
12 IT’S SHOW TIME: Leading shows bring the West End to Ipswich.
13 METAL WINNERS: Gold, Silver, Bronze and iron – different colours reflecting different periods in Ipswich’s proud history.
14 ROSIE AND FRIENDS: Explore Ipswich’s astonishing treasure house at the Museum. Visit Rosie, Wool-I-Am and find out about the Ipswich story.
15 MARITIME IPSWICH: A maritime tradition – Ipswich is now East Anglia’s Waterfront town.
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