Believe Square
Public walkway in Wigan, England
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Believe Square is a public space in Wigan, Greater Manchester, England, situated by Wigan Town Hall, and is the site of the town's Walk of Fame, known as the "Believe Stars".[1][better source needed] Established in 2012, Wigan Council honours individuals and organizations, embodying Wigan's "Believe" mantra, with a star, on the basis of their contributions to society and the community.[2]
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 Interactive map of Believe Square | |
| Coordinates | 53.546°N 2.631°W |
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| Construction | |
| Completion | 2012 |
Architecture
The square is the site of the "Face of Wigan," a 2008 sculpture by artist Rick Kirby.[3][4] The piece features a steel face, with facets reflecting the Wigan community and its hinterland.[5]
Wigan Life Centre
The Wigan Life Centre on the square is a hub for education, the arts, and leisure, as well as the site of civic offices.[6][7][8] The Life Centre adjoins Wigan Metropolitan Borough Council, on the site of the former Wigan International Pool.[8][9] Opened in 2011, as a consolidate public services hub.[10] The Life Centre consists of two main buildings: the North and South sites.[10] The North site houses a library and neighbourhood support facilities, the South site's "Healthy Living Zone", focuses on leisure and health services, including a 50-metre (160 ft) swimming pool,[11] a gym, and fitness studios.[10][12]
The hub is used for education, employment, and healthy-living programs.[13][14][10][15][better source needed]
Believe
The "Believe" mantra has been associated with the local sports teams of Wigan since the early 2010s.[16] In 2013, Wigan Athletic F.C. won the 2012–13 FA Cup,[17] and the Wigan Warriors rugby league club won the Super League Grand Final.[18] The "Believe" slogan developed from then.[19][20] A related town square, Civic Square in Leigh, Greater Manchester is also the site of "Believe Stars".[21][22]
Notable Inductees
Individuals and groups awarded stars on Believe Square include:
- John Winnard MBE (2012) - Co-owner of Uncle Joe's Mint Balls[23]
- Stuart Maconie (2012) - Writer and broadcaster[23]
- Billy Boston MBE (2012) - Rugby league legend.[24]
- Jenny Meadows (2012) - middle-distance runner[23]
- Dave Whelan (2013) - Former owner of Wigan Athletic F.C..[25]
- Sir Ian McKellen (2015) - Acclaimed actor.[26][27]
- NHS and Key Workers (2021) - Following the COVID-19 pandemic.[23]
- Joseph's Goal (2022) - Non-ketotic hyperglycinemia (NKH) charity.[28][23]
- Joining Jack (2023) - Duchenne muscular dystrophy charity.[23][28]
- Wigan Youth Zone (2023) - A boys and girls club.[24][29]
- Keely Hodgkinson (2023) - Olympian[30]