THE NAMING of new city squares or districts is a fraught business. It’s more traumatic and problematic than naming a child. Kids grow into their names, not so city areas.
Every pavement slab should bear one of those Manchester firsts. People could walk on them and be surrounded by an identity-building, civic pride-creating blast of illumination.
Anyone remember Petersfields?
Or the Millennium Quarter?
Or Corridor?
Petersfields, aka the area around Manchester Central and the Radisson Edwardian, at least had some sort of historical basis being close to the long disappeared St Peter’s Fields. Whether it was wise to name a city district centred on conferences and meetings with a reference to a gathering which featured a massacre on the same site – the 1819 Peterloo Massacre – is open to debate. Fortunately the debate wasn’t needed as nobody has ever called the area Petersfields anyway.
The names Millennium Quarter (the area around Exchange Square) and Corridor (Oxford Road Uni and Hospital land) were different, they were just marketing nonsense. Arrant foolishness. They had no foundation in anything, dwelling in that land of aimless grinning and slaps on the backs that can attend the property sector when launching major projects.
NOMA, the area of the Cooperative estate, has also been criticised this way. The jury’s still out whether the name will be adopted by the general citizenry of Manchester rather than besuited professionals.
But where there’s movement there’s life, so to speak, and it appears the pieces are being put in place for people to begin to see to a meaningful change in the area. This might give the NOMA moniker a chance. Developments need persistence. A physical change creates an identity that a title can attach itself too, actions as usual speak louder than PR words. Under the Manchester coat of arms is the Latin tag, Concilio et Labore. In otherwords chat about it and then do the work. If NOMA materialises and does so in a cogent manner than it will be adopted just as Spinningfields has.
Trying to get people involved is another way to build identity and thus residents of Manchester are being invited to name the new public square taking shape at NOMA.
This will create a public area between the CIS Tower, New Century House and the Hanover Building near Victoria Station. Over time this will be surrounded by a mix of cafés, restaurants, bars and shops.
The square will be officially opened in October 2015, and the developers are asking for suggestions to be submitted by 28 July. Shortlisted names will then be submitted to an expert panel, who will consider each of the entries for their originality and rationale. The folk behind the favoured suggestions will be rewarded with an afternoon tea and champagne for two at Teacup Kitchen in the Northern Quarter.
David Pringle, at NOMA, has said: “This is a great opportunity to play a part in creating the latest piece of Manchester’s history. Up to 4,000 postcards have been delivered to homes and businesses in and around NOMA encouraging people to get involved. NOMA is an area with a rich heritage, and we want the people who live, work and enjoy themselves here to become a part of its future.”
It’ll be interesting to see what people come up with.
There’s a danger they might come up with rubbish of course. Inevitably someone will suggest Bez Square. Someone might even suggest Paul Flowers Square, after the rent-boy chasing, crystal-methodist and former chairman of the Cooperative Bank. That's a square that could feature some interesting nooks and crannies, not that either Bez or Flowers are likely to be adopted.
No doubt there will be lots of historical reference chasing, maybe around the old landowners of the area, so Mayes Square. Given Joseph Holt lived on Mayes Street when he first started making beer in 1849, the square could be called Beer Place. Probably not. Some Smiths' fans will no doubt suggest Morrissey Square but this would be putting a downer on it immediately. A publicly glum area for Manchester, Misery Place.
Personally I’d like a name which might sound prosaic at first, Pioneers Square.
This would refer to the origins of the modern Cooperative Movement of course, the Rochdale Pioneers. But more importantly it would refer to the huge number of 'firsts' Manchester has delivered - click here.
Every pavement slab could bear one of those Manchester 'firsts' carved into it. People could walk on them and be surrounded by an identity-building, civic pride-creating blast of illumination.
I admit this is largely a selfish idea.
As a tour guide to the city this would be a cracking and enticing resource for my visitors. But also it'd be a fine resource for visitors and locals. I imagine schools groups from around Greater Manchester trooping in for an al fresco lesson. I imagine Instagrams, Vines and exclamations of "Ooh I didn't know that."
How to get involved: You can submit your ideas in a variety of ways: On Twitter it’s @NOMA_mcr #NameOurSquare; on Facebook NOMAmcr #NameOurSquare; submit via e-mail at NOMA@co-operative.coop or submit online www.nameoursquare.com Alternatively you can drop your suggestions in at the reception of 1 Angel Square.
