Techniquest Glyndŵr are delighted to announce a major funding package has been secured allowing huge opportunities for the organisation. It will mean that the Wrexham based science centre will be finally be able to realise its long-held dream of moving to the town centre into the empty former TJ Hughes building on Chester Street.
Above; Joe Bickerton (Destination Manager, Wrexham CBC), Katie Williams (Techniquest Glyndwr), Sam Regan (Chair - This Is Wrexham Tourism Partnership)
The move will enable the Science Centre to make use of the much larger premises to offer an ambitious programme of science events and a much wider selection of interactive exhibits to the public and schools from across North Wales and North West England. This will offer an exciting and innovative programme of events and interactive experiences that will engage visitors from local communities and across the region with STEM.
The £2.8million project includes £1.75million grant funding awarded by the Inspiring Science Fund and £750,000 from Welsh Government’s Targeted Regeneration Investment programme. The Inspiring Science Fund supports science centres across the UK, helping them rethink what they do and what they offer to the public.
The bid for funding had the support of several key agencies in Wrexham including Wrexham Glyndŵr University and Wrexham County Borough Council who have been supporting the regeneration of the town centre.
The plans outlined in the bid have also received widespread public support, demonstrated by the large numbers of local people who visited the temporary science centre pop up over the summer months of 2018 when it was open during Wrexham’s series of monthly street festivals.
Local businesses in the town centre have also expressed their approval for the proposal to create a new town centre attraction which they see will help with the long term economic future of the town.
The award of the funding begins an intensive 12-month period during which the town centre building will be purchased and converted into a fully operational science discovery centre to replace the existing centre on the Plas Coch Campus of Wrexham Glyndŵr University.
Lynda Powell, Director of North Wales Science and a This Is Wrexham Board Member said:
“This is absolutely great news – for Techniquest Glyndŵr, for Wrexham town centre, and for STEM in North and Mid Wales.
“This funding will help secure Techniquest Glyndŵr in a key town centre location – one which is seeing a range of private and public sector investment. The development will be a key part of the regeneration of our town centre.
“It means that Wrexham Glyndŵr University can continue extending the community work it has been doing with its portfolio of science, technology, engineering and mathematics courses. That work is an investment in our regional skills base that has been has developed alongside industry partners, and it will help to boost our economy for years to come.”
Speaking today in Llandudno, This Is Wrexham Tourism Partnership Chair Sam Regan added;
" This news is a terrific boost for the tourism sector here in Wrexham County. Techniquest has long been a popular attraction on the University Campus, however the ambition shown by the team there, Wrexham Council, Welsh Government and all partners involved will result in an ever better space for Techniquest to become one of North Wales' most popular attractions."
The move by Techniquest Glyndwr is due to be supported by the decision to relocate and expand the Wrexham Tourist Information Centre offering later this year to Chester Street. More news about the relocation will be announced by Wrexham Council next week...
The news of Techniquest Glyndŵr’s new home is exciting for science enthusiasts in Wrexham. The post highlights the significance of this move for the community. Find more local news updates on ztec100.