STOURBRIDGE’S Riverside House is set to be officially opened by the Mayor of Dudley as part of the International Festival of Glass.
The canalside venue, described as the Black Country’s Lost Gardens of Heligan, is among venues opening their doors as part of this weekend’s International Festival of Glass.
The site, located next to the River Stour and Stourbridge Canal, will host craft workshops, demonstrations, music and performances across the weekend (Friday August 23 to Monday August 26).
The Mayor of Dudley, Councillor Hilary Bills, will officially open the venue, accessed off Canal Street, on Friday afternoon (August 23).
Riverside House founder Lloyd Stacey said: "We’re really pleased and relieved that we have reached this milestone of the project, with everything coming together really well, specifically having the support and goodwill of a great team of people as well as funders, partnerships, stakeholders and a receptive local community.”
The opening will celebrate the completion of the first phase of the restoration of the Riverside House site which has become a haven for wildlife, nature and creativity.
To see all the events happening at Riverside House as part of the glass festival click here https://ifg.org.uk/events/
The site, which was an ironworks in the 19th century, offers people with mental health problems and learning disabilities chance to get outdoors and gain practical skills and a sense of purpose.
Over the last eight years it has been developed from a derelict patch of ground to now include an off-grid café, market garden, performance and craft spaces – with lots more planned for the site.
The open weekend will also include the launch of a campaign to get phase two underway – to create a heritage visitor centre on the site which is a little-known gem of the Black Country.
To find out more or to make a donation to the campaign visit https://www.spacehive.com/riversidehousestourbridge
Lloyd said: “Now we are starting our next and even more ambitious phase of the project. We are in the process of developing plans for a compact but beautiful heritage centre and community hub that will open up the frontage of Riverside House to the canal towpath and local community.
“The centre, supported by the expertise of Canal and River Trust and Birmingham and Black Country Wildlife Trust, will articulate the important heritage and significant wildlife of this historic heart of Stourbridge.
“The beautifully-designed building will also be a craft shop and multifunction events space, bringing culture to the heart of the canal waterfront and will transform the prospects of this very important part of the Black Country. The courtyard adjacent to the heritage centre will provide four small workshop spaces for permanent dedicated crafts people, along with a small residential building.
“We are also in the final stages of developing a beautiful laser cut fence that will sit next to the heritage centre and open up the Grade II listed Riverside House to the canal towpath, with visitors passing through a traditional walled cottage garden. Additionally, we aim to transform the Grade II listed dry dock into an outdoor covered performing arts space, whilst maintaining its historic integrity and using its natural amphitheatre space to our advantage.
“The icing on the cake is, of course, Riverside House itself. This requires a larger team of people and a thoroughly considered scheme to ensure its feasibility, as well as to prevent its ongoing degradation.
“Heritage buildings have significant value to Black Country folk, and we will be endeavouring to do everything we can to bring it back to life.”
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