25/08/2026
MARINE GARDENS TAKING SHAPE AS EASTERN END BEGINS TO REVEAL ITS CHARACTER
The transformation of Bangorโs new Marine Gardens is becoming increasingly visible, with some of the finer details now emerging at the eastern end of the waterfront scheme.
One of the most attractive new features is a broad flight of beautifully finished stone steps leading down into what will effectively become a lower level โSunken Gardenโ.
Developer plans point towards this becoming one of the quieter corners of the new parkland, with a "mindful garden", picnic tables, chess tables and a drinking fountain creating an altogether more serene area away from the more active spaces.
It is an interesting change of pace within the overall scheme. While much of the new waterfront is designed around activity, events and movement, this part appears intended as somewhere simply to sit, meet, have lunch or watch the world go by.
OLD STONES, NEW LIFE
Perhaps one of the most satisfying pieces of work currently underway can be found alongside the historic sea wall.
A significant section of the old stonework was lost during an earlier redevelopment around the former bridge and steps. Now, stonemasons are carefully reconstructing that missing section, using traditional techniques and craftsmanship to blend the new work back into the surviving wall.
And the older stones themselves tell a story.
Look closely at some of the sandstone coping stones, and you can still find initials, symbols and love hearts carved into them by former generations of Bangorโs young people. They are tiny pieces of social history, probably never intended to survive for decades, but now part of the character of the waterfront.
There is, however, a question over future public access to this stretch. If a recent proposal to replace the adjoining footpath with parking spaces is implemented, the wall would effectively become much more difficult for pedestrians to reach and appreciate.
THE McKEE CLOCK BACK IN THE SPOTLIGHT
Further east, the transformation around Bangorโs best-known waterfront landmark is becoming equally apparent.
The McKee Clock now stands proudly and unobstructed, much closer to the way it was always intended to be seen.
The old semi-circular wall surrounding part of the area has gone. Whatever purpose it may once have served, in more recent years it largely succeeded in obscuring the clock when approached from its northern side.
That view has now opened up dramatically.
Even better, the newly planted trees are already flourishing, lining the space almost like a guard of honour leading towards the clock. As they mature, they should soften the large open event area while preserving the important sightlines towards the monument.
EVEN THE TOILETS ARE GETTING THE TREATMENT
The nearby public toilet block is undergoing a substantial refurbishment too.
Externally, one of the most obvious changes is its freshly completed roof, now carrying an array of solar panels, bringing a surprisingly modern touch to one of the waterfrontโs more functional buildings.
Taken individually, steps, stone walls, trees, paving and refurbished facilities may seem like small details. Together, however, they are beginning to show how the different parts of the new Marine Gardens will eventually knit together.
And with more machinery active across the site and increasingly substantial areas taking their final shape, there is a growing sense that the project is moving beyond earthworks and infrastructure and into the stage where people can finally begin to imagine the finished gardens.
For Bangor, the hope now is that momentum continues, that the Marine Gardens are brought successfully across the finishing line and, crucially, that attention then turns decisively towards the landward side of Queenโs Parade.
Because impressive though the new gardens promise to be, the regeneration of the buildings, streets and development sites facing them remains the main prize for Bangor city centre.
