Contributed by editor on Dec 30, 2016 - 06:30 PM

By Ray Duff Take a look below and there's a photo which may well signal 'the shape of things to come' in 2017 for Folkestone and Shepway.

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Rising from this will be a six-floor mostly glass building .....





Skate Park

To borrow from HG Wells 1930's novel in the 150th anniversary of his birth in 1866, here's a photo which may well signal 'the shape of things to come' in 2017 for Folkestone and Shepway.





The angular Skate Park Centre foundations in Dover Road Photo: Ray Duff



The new skate park centre at the bottom of Dover Road has been under construction for some months now and it appears the foundations are almost completed - as the picture shows.

Rising from these will be a six-floor mostly glass building which will house a boxing ring, offices, cafés and other amenities around the huge indoor skate 'park'. See here



Triennial

The 'shape' could be a precursor to the 2017 Folkestone Triennial, for which it is hoped the above building will be ready.

The planned new set of art works and sculptures will be appearing across the area over the summer in readiness for the opening of the two month festival on 2nd September 2017. www.folkestonetriennial.org.uk

Museum



Also opening next year is the new Folkestone Museum at the Old Town Hall.

Building work has been on-going in the basement, ground floor and parts of the Silver Screen cinema with much of this now completed, along with a new council chamber.

Fitting out of the Museum spaces is due to begin in the new year and it is hoped the opening will take place by the end of May.

It will feature a new main entrance in Market Place, behind the Town Hall. www.folkestonemuseum.co.uk



In addition to returned artefacts and artworks on rotational display, some of the finds from the Folkestone Roman Villas and Iron Age site at the on-going archaeological excavations on East Cliff are also likely to be displayed.

Archaeological dig

These excavations are also due to re-open on 10 July and digging will be underway daily for another month at least on the internationally important site. www.eastwearbay.co.uk

Samuel Plimsoll



A new group has taken over the Folkestone Samuel Plimsoll Memorial campaign, the Seamans' friend buried in St Martin's Churchyard Cheriton.

The group is hoping to arrange events to further commemorate the great man and his work. Watch out for an event in February, a Triennial linked exhibition and a major author

speaking, hopefully in early October. http://www.cheritonchurches.org.uk/st-martin/samuel-plimsoll/

Miniature railway



Last but not least, our very own local miniature steam train line, the Romney Hythe and Dymchurch Railway, will be marking it's 90th Anniversary in 2017, having opened way back in 1927.

There will be a main event over the weekend of June 15-16 and perhaps others as well! www.rhdr.org.uk

Looking forward to 2017



With all this and likely much else going on, including the 2017 Book Festival in November, there's plenty to look forward to next year. Let us hope it will also attract many new visitors to the town and area as well as local people.

... GAZETTE BREAKING NEWS