The STEM attraction, which will begin to emerge on the Wirral landscape early next year, has now raised 95% of its total funding goal. A further £575,000 will be sought through grants and contributions from both corporate and private donors.
Planning has continued unperturbed by the Covid-19 outbreak, with work having been conducted remotely so as not to delay the 2022 opening plans. Having concluded the first three stages of the design process, construction is due to commence in the first quarter of 2021.
“We have been working hard during the current crisis to ensure the timeline for Eureka! Mersey stays on track,” explains Eureka!’s chief executive, Leigh-Anne Stradeski. “Giving young people the opportunity to explore, discover and think again about their futures seems ever more crucial now as the country looks for new ways to rebuild in the years and decades after this current pandemic.”
The 2,700m² interactive centre will occupy the old Spaceport on Wirral waterfront, with part of the venue also housed within the Seacombe ferry terminal alongside existing Merseytravel services.
Seddon Construction Ltd, K2 Architects, Urban Green, Real Studios, TACE, Sutcliffe, and Playmaker Studio are the firms selected to deliver Eureka! Mersey’s complex, with contractors yet to be appointed to fit out the space. It is hoped all the works will take around a year to complete.
Discussing the potential impact of the venue for the region and the nation’s STEM sector, Steve Rotheram, metro mayor of the Liverpool City Region, stated: “As we start the long road to economic recovery, Eureka! Mersey will play an important role in inspiring our future scientists and engineers, so that they can develop the skills they need to thrive and contribute to building a better future. That’s why we are investing £6.44 million in this project and that’s why I am sure that it is money well spent.”
