Liverpool City Region Mayor Steve Rotheram took a behind the scenes visit to the Seacombe Ferry Terminal last week to check in on the development of the new Eureka! Science + Discovery visitor attraction, due to open in Autumn 2022.
The visit was the first time that Mayor Rotheram had been to see the site since Spaceport’s closure.
Speaking of his visit, he said, “It was great to be invited to take a look at how Eureka! Science + Discovery is progressing so far. We’ve invested £6.4m to help deliver what I think is another outstanding attraction. What was tired and underused will be replaced by a fresh, interesting and interactive new offering. This is just a part of our wider plans revitalise Birkenhead and, in particular, the Left Bank area.”
The Metro Mayor’s tour was hosted by Leigh-Anne Stradeski, Eureka! Chief Executive, who has led the Liverpool City Region project since its inception in 2014. Leigh-Anne said, “It was a pleasure to show the Mayor the progress that is being made and to further explain how we see our vision coming together in a way that will support the growth of the Liverpool City Region and the transformation of Wirral.
“A focus on environmental issues and sustainability is a theme which runs throughout the Eureka! Science + Discovery experience and is a top priority for the Mayor and the city region. With COP26 underway, this was a great time to highlight how our approach to engaging children and young people in these key issues will support this wider vision of innovation and leadership in securing a sustainable future.”
Mayor Rotheram added, “As someone who is passionate about skills and technical subjects, I’m delighted to see that Eureka! Science + Discovery will be putting a special emphasis on STEAM subjects. Who knows how many engineers and scientists of the future might be inspired by their visits to Eureka! Science + Discovery?”
Leigh-Anne added, “The Mayor’s support, along with the support of all of our funding partners and stakeholders, has reinforced our decision that the Liverpool City Region was the right location for our second visitor attraction, and we are looking forward to sharing more details in the coming months.”
The project has been made possible through a series of investments from a number of partners, including a £6.4m grant from the Liverpool City Region Combined Authority’s Strategic Investment Fund.
Works on-site began in June 2021 with Bolton-based construction specialists, Seddon, contracted for the initial base build phase of the project. So far, this has included the construction and enabling works, which involves the restoration of some of the features of the building to create a science theatre for school workshops.
Seddon has also worked in close partnership with K2, Liverpool-based architects. Vikki Thomas, Relationships Manager at Seddon, said, “We’re delighted to be involved in such a fantastic project – Seddon’s first in the Liverpool City Region. We’ll be on site until Spring 2022 ensuring that the building is prepped and ready from a structural perspective.
“Since works beginning earlier this year, we’ve already seen a glimpse of the incredible transformation the building will undergo to become one of the North West’s leading visitor attractions.
“We were pleased to be part of the Mayor’s visit to the site and to show him the progress we’ve made so far in bringing the building up to a standard in which the Eureka! team can bring their vision to life.”
The new attraction, which has been co-created in partnership with more than 120 young people from the Liverpool City Region, is dedicated to helping bridge the STEM skills gap, encouraging young people to engage more with key subjects through a range of unique exhibits and interactive experiences.
Eureka! Science + Discovery has been developed in partnership with a number of key stakeholders across the Liverpool City Region, including founding partner Ørsted, alongside Unilever, STFC Daresbury Laboratory, Arup, Alder Hey Children’s Hospital and Liverpool John Moores University.
The attraction is set to open in autumn 2022.
Further information can be found via their Facebook and Twitter pages or their website: www.eurekadiscovery.org.uk 
Main image: (L-R) Mark Davies, K2 Architects, Metro Mayor Steve Rotheram, Eureka CEO, Leigh-Ann Stradeski, Vikki Thomas, Seddon and Chris Tildsley of Walker Sime
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