Cycle Portrait Bench - Lady Wood, UK - Silhouette Public Art Sculptures on Waymarking.com

This and a number of similar sculptures throughout the UK were erected by SUSTRANS in 2007. This is a charity to encourage sustainable transport including cycle and walking paths. In 2007 they were awarded money by the Big Lottery Fund to develop new cycling routes. As part of this portrait benches were erected to mark the routes, each consisting of 3 portraits, the design of which was voted for by the local communities to best reflect the community.

Usually each statue represents a person, but in this case one of the statues represents the Wyke Beck Valley itself. The Wykebeck Way follows the route of the small stream Wyke Beck from Roundhay Park to Temple Newsam.

A plaque on the end of the bench has the following information.

Beryl Burton OBE
1937 - 1996
Winning over 90 UK cycling championships &
7 world titles. Born in Halton & lived in Morley.

Nicola Adams MBE
Won the first ever Olympic Women's Boxing Gold
Medal at the London 2012 Games. Born &
educated at East Leeds.

Water Vole
Local children chose
the water vole to represent the
amazing wildlife in the
Wyke Beck Valley

Although the plaque says that one of the sculptures represents a water vole it actually seems to be some water reeds, the vole's natural environment.

Title of Piece: Portrait Bench Artist: Unknown Material/Media: Sheet Steel Location (specific park, transit center, library, etc.): Not listed Web link(s) for additional information: Not listed

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