Over the past few years Ashford has been subject to a barrage of change.

From the replacement of part of the ring road with the shared space scheme, to the construction of new supermarkets and housing estates.

There's also been the extension of County Square, the Designer Outlet, a remodeling of the Stour leisure centre, new care homes and a huge library - not forgetting the installation of the controversial Bolt' sculpture.

The area has been subject to a planning frenzy and there is a lot more to come.

But things dont always turn out as planned or look quite how they were expected to.

Here, we take a look through the top 10 landmark plans, comparing the artists' impressions to the real thing.

1: EUREKA SKYWAY BRIDGE

Artist's impression of the M20 bridge

The footbridge over the M20

The award-winning Eureka Skyway footbridge across the M20 quickly became an iconic Ashford landmark. The bridge opened at the end of 2011 and has not only improved pedestrian and cycle links between the town centre and the Eureka leisure park but has also helped regeneration in Ashford.

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Artists' impressions of buildings and plans in Ashford vs photos of the real thing - do they compare?

Torrance, CA. (PRWEB) February 02, 2015

Indicative of its growing prominence as a go-to player in the rapidly expanding global 4D cinema marketplace, veteran interactive technologies company MediaMation, Inc. (MMI) of Torrance, CA, both hosted and participated in various high-profile activities related to the recent International Cinema Technology Association conference (ICTA). The series of MMI events culminated in a highly successful industry-only screening of the Liam Neeson action thriller, Taken3, at MediaMations new 104-seat MX4D Motion EFX Theatre, located at the Plaza Stadium Cinemas 14 in Oxnard, California.

Holding its conference at the Universal Hilton in Los Angeles, Jan. 19-21, the ICTA promotes technological advancements in the motion picture industry through educational seminars and programs. 4D refers to an emerging immersive technology which allows movie-goers to experience big Hollywood blockbusters in a new way via the addition of moving seats, air/water blasts, leg ticklers, fog, scents and other special effects that emanate from specially designed theatre seats, or from inside the theatre itself. These special effects are programmed to both sync with and enhance the action on the screen for a more exciting and realistic movie-going experience.

On January 20, MMI Founder and CTO Dan Jamele addressed the large industry crowd of theatre chain operators, motion picture studios and cinema tech vendors who gathered to attend the ICTA Immersive Technologies panel, moderated by Susie Beiersdorf, VP of Sales, Digital Cinema Solutions, Sony Electronics. Jamele, a technology innovator and executive who has developed numerous products and software, as well as immersive attractions, for over 20 years, described how MX4D Theatres increase an exhibitors incremental attendance, transaction rates, and overall revenue. Additionally, he pointed out how the avid movie-goer, who is the best customer, has taken to this technology, and expects all of the major movies to be in the MX4D format once they experience it. With over 9,000 motion seats installed in various venues, parks, attractions and cinemas worldwide, MMI has a unique experience base for this technology. We knew that as we introduce the cinema-goer to Hollywood movies in the MX4D format, it would be a huge hit. Certainly, the most important thing on an exhibitor's mind these days is how to differentiate the cinema experience from not only their competitors theatres, but what people can experience in their own home today. MX4D Motion EFX Theatres provide their customers with excitement and immersion like no other technology that they simply cant get at home or in their competitions theatres.

Besides sponsoring a well-attended ICTA industry luncheon earlier in the week, MMI invited conference attendees and guests on Wednesday, January 21, to enjoy a gourmet box meal and champagne aboard a chartered luxury bus to MMIs aforementioned MX4D theatre in Oxnard, CA. After receiving complimentary popcorn and drinks courtesy of Santa Rosa Entertainment Group, owners of Plaza Stadium Cinemas 14, attendees were able to experience MMIs MX4D unique hardware and software technology in action via the specially-programmed screening of Twentieth Century Foxs box-office hit, Taken3.

Among the various positive comments heard at the VIP screening, Dale Davison, Senior Vice President of Operations and Development, Metropolitan Theatres, stated regarding MediaMations MX4D technology: Well, I think there is definitely a market for this product. I think you have a large audience, lets say between the ages of maybe 12 to late 20s, early 30s, that really -- especially for the action-adventure pictures and horror pictures -- will find this a further enhancement...."

Noted Vince Power, Business Development Manager, XPAND: What I was impressed with was that the action in the chair meshed very well with the imagery that you were watching...this was very well done.

Added Heather Blair, MMI Head of Cinema Sales: We felt it was important to show a full-length feature MX4D movie to cinema exhibitors, VPs of technology, equipment suppliers and integrators, as well as to studio executives who supply MediaMation with content. Most of these people have only been to demonstrations at our office and at shows such as CinemaCon and CineAsia. We wanted to drive home that this experience is not only well-received in countries such as Mexico and Colombia, but also works well in the U.S. in smaller DMAs as well as larger ones like Los Angeles.

Also commenting on the Taken3 ICTA industry event, MediaMation President and CEO Alison Jamele remarked: We were genuinely pleased by the great turn-out and enthusiastic industry response to our MX4D experience, she noted. Cinema industry influencers were finally able to understand what all of the buzz is about regarding our innovative 4D technology. With our MX4D Motion EFX Theatre in Oxnard, ticket sales for the 4D experience have bypassed its 3D counterpart, as well as increased revenue by attracting incremental customers to the theatre." ************************************************************************************************* About MediaMation, Inc. - Founded in 1991, MMI is an entertainment systems integrator that provides interactive attraction technology for complex, interactive shows, attractions, rides, exhibits, fountain shows and 4D theatre environments worldwide. Coupled with their visionary designers and tech team, MediaMation is relied upon by various venues such as cinemas, theme parks, museums, themed environments and interactive exhibits to install their attractions.

MMI has installed MX4D Motion EFX seats and turnkey 4D/5D theatres throughout the world. Most recently, installations have included 250+ motion effects seats each for Cinemexs X4D Cinema Theatres installed/installing throughout Mexico in 17 of their cineplexes. Cinemex is the 5th largest Cinema chain in the world and was recognized as the Best International Cinema at the ShowEast Conference in 2013. Longstanding MMI clients such as Ripleys Believe It or Not, Moving 4D Theatres in San Antonio, Texas; and Baltimore, as well as Legoland Discovery Centers in Toronto, Chicago and other locations, continue to use MMI to supply them with high-quality 4D immersive theatres. MediaMations MX4D Motion EFX Theatres are installed in more than 34 countries. For more information, visit http://www.mediamation.com

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Immersive 4D Movie Leader, MediaMation, Inc. is High-Visibility Player at ICTA

MALVERN Hills District Council is to look at providing online information on the state of springs and wells around the hills, following a Malvern Gazette campaign.

The campaign was started in spring last year following news that all 12 of the main springs around the hills were suffering from bacterial contamination at the same time.

The major water sources around the hills are checked quarterly, when samples are taken and analysed to detect the presence of bacteria.

The campaign called for information about the springs to be available on the internet, not just posted on notices at the water sources themselves.

Ivor Pumfrey, head of community services at Malvern Hills District Council, said: The water coming out of the spouts in Malvern is as it always has been untreated and of variable microbiological quality.

"This poses a potential risk to health and therefore our advice is, and has been for many years, to boil the water before drinking it or bathing with it.

"Notices to this effect have been erected over the years but have frequently been defaced or removed, but we do intend to install fresh signs in order to remind residents about the quality of the water.

"We also appreciate that some online information may be useful to people and will look into a web page on the quality of the water alongside warnings about the potential dangers and risks.

In the most recent round of tests, carried out towards the end of last year, Earl Beauchamp's Fountain in Cowleigh Road, Hay Slad on West Malvern Road, and the Lower Wyche Spout, off Old Wyche Road, failed bacteriological tests.

However, Malvinha, the water feature at Belle Vue Island in the town centre, and St Anns Wells, probably the most famous water source on the hills, were declared free from contamination.

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Warning system for contamination of Malvern Hills water sources takes a step forward

After the announcement of the new Wells Bank location coming to Maryville earlier in the month, the Maryville City Council heard from city staff January 26 about the new developments infrastructure to make way for business and housing additions.

Maryville City Manager Greg McDanel reported Fountain Park Partners, LLC, owner of the 25 acres of land on South Main, has been in discussions with the city officials regarding the land development. The land owners have begun moving utilities and are making plans to invest $80,000 toward upgrades in water infrastructure to replace a waterline, install seven service connections and two fire hydrants along with a new waterline and sanitary sewer extension. Fountain Park Partners will also replace existing power lines by installing a cased bore, eliminating overhead lines which the city leaders plan to do with the remainder of South Main in the future.

The council approved the development agreement with Fountain Park Partners.

Other items approved at the council meeting:

New sculptures selected by the Maryville Public Arts Committee for Maryville downtown were approved by city council. The current art pieces will be replaced in May with the new ones.

Request to hold annual Speedy Spoofhound 5K April 25.

Ordinance for a general election in April for two three-year term city council positions with four candidates: Michael Baumli, Jason McDowell, Jerry Riggs and Beth Hawkins.

Ordinance for Maryville Parks and Recreation 10 tax levy to be on the April ballot.

Ordinance to allow the 15 levy to be put on the ballot for a county library that will be voted upon by county residents outside Maryville city limits.

Maryville will take part in the 2015 Show-Me-Green Sales Tax Holiday April 19-25.

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Maryville City Council initiates steps toward new development

Mecklenburg County plans to replace a set of steps at Romare Bearden Park with a ramp to make the popular uptown park more equally accessible.

A civil rights complaint lodged last September by local disability rights advocates charged that the parks lighted water fountain isnt accessible from Martin Luther King Jr. Boulevard for disabled visitors because its two entrances are steps. Those visitors, the advocates said, must use the parks front entrance on Church Street or a side entrance on West Third Street to get to the fountain.

As a temporary fix to meet civil rights standards of the American Disabilities Act, County Manager Dena Diorio decided to install two benches last month to block openings to the two entrances so no one can use them.

Yet all parts of the park remain open and equally accessible through other entrances.

Commissioner Bill James called the temporary fix a legalistic bone-headed move in an email Wednesday to commissioners.

Does anyone really believe that the county would purposely, and with malice, design a facility to discriminate against disabled people? he wrote. Barring the entrance to these two steps does not fix the ... problem. It just insured that everyone was equally unhappy with the result.

The park meets the ADAs accessibility guidelines, said Mark Hahn, the countys asset and facility management director.

But the complaint focused on the laws civil rights portion, Hahn said. It asserted that the two entrances from Martin Luther King Jr. Boulevard prevent visitors with disabilities from accessing this particular program area in the same manner as the general public, he said.

So, with approval from the disability rights advocates, Diorio decided to temporarily shut down the two entrances until the permanent fix is complete.

At Wednesdays commission meeting, James proposed leaving one of the entrances open while the ramp is being built at the other. He said he agreed that the ramp needed to be installed, but was concerned that closing the two entrances will open the county to other litigation from disabilities advocates.

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Ramp to make Romare Bearden Park more equally accessible

Tom Seaman, a Scottdale Borough representative to the Westmoreland Fayette Municipal Sewage Authority, attended this month's council meeting to give an update on the construction of a new sewage treatment plant.

In a quick year in review, Seaman told council that in January of 2014 the Glenn Schwartz property was acquired for the plant and in March the balance of the right of ways needed to install the interceptor lines was acquired.

He added in May an interim construction financing was established to borrow about $15.5 million from First National Bank at an interest rate of .01067 to buy all the equipment needed to build the plant.

Once the plant is built, the municipal authority will go with a regular bond issue for 40 years.

In June, the authority accepted new board member Diane Figg, who represents East Huntingdon.

Seaman said in August an agreement was made to charge a 5 percent collection service fee, which equals a total of about $5,000, against the $12 collected for Scottdale Borough that covers their storm water/sewage separation project loan.

He added if the borough were to collect the fee itself, it could cost the borough about $10,000.

In September, the authority advertised the project for bids and in October those bids were accepted. Port Vue Plumbing won the main contractor contract at $12,346,000, A-1 Electric won the electrical contract with a bid of $1,080,000 and Ligonier Construction was awarded the contract of $1,411,470.84 to run the new interceptor lines from Swedetown down to the plant.

Earlier this month, the authority finalized all of the contracts and sent them back to the vendors.

They should be ready to start sticking a shovel to the ground in February I would think, Seaman said.

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Scottdale Council gets sewage plant work update

Construction should begin soon on a sewage plant being built by the Westmoreland Fayette Municipal Sewage Authority.

They should be ready to start sticking a shovel to the ground in February, I would think, said Tom Seaman, a Scottdale Borough representative to the Westmoreland Fayette Municipal Sewage Authority.

Seman gave borough council members an update on the construction of a sewage treatment plant during council's recent meeting.

In a quick year in review, Seaman told council that in January 2014, the Glenn Schwartz property was acquired so the authority could build the plant. In March, the authority acquired the balance of the rights of way needed to install the interceptor lines.

In May, the authority established interim construction financing in which it borrowed about $15.5 million from First National Bank at an interest rate of .01067 to buy the equipment needed to build the plant.

Once the plant is built, the authority will go with a regular bond issue for 40 years.

In June, the authority accepted new board member Diane Figg, who represents East Huntingdon.

The authority agreed in August to charge a 5 percent collection service fee, which equals about $5,000, against the $12 collected for Scottdale Borough that covers the storm water/sewage separation project loan, Seaman said.

If the borough were to collect the fee, it could cost the borough about $10,000, he said.

In September, the authority advertised the project for bids, and in October, it accepted bids. Port Vue Plumbing won the main contractor bid at $12,346,000, A-1 Electric won the electrical contract with a bid of $1,080,000 and Ligonier Construction was awarded the bid of $1,411,470.84 to run the new interceptor lines from Swedetown down to the plant.

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Construction should begin soon on new Westmoreland Fayette sewage plant

A group of young volunteers spent the morning remembering Dr. Martin Luther King alongside a group of elderly New Yorkers, who experienced segregation and the Civil Rights movement firsthand. NY1's Lindsey Christ filed this report.

Their stories began decades ago all across the country. On Martin Luther King Jr. Day, residents of the Isabella nursing home came together to share some of those memories.

Like 102-year-old Naomi Headly, who described growing-up in Virginia before moving north as part of the Great Migration, into the Harlem Renaissance.

"We'd sit on the back of the bus and when you'd go to white people's houses, you know, we had to go through the back," Headly recalled.

Andetrie Smith experienced similar discrimination as a child in Texas.

"Whenever I was really thirsty and nobody was looking, my mother, she would give me whatever water fountain was near. And if it was the white fountain, she would tell me, 'This is the law, but it's wrong,'" Smith said.

While in seminary school, the Rev. Joseph D. Jenkins Jr. became involved in desegregating the Boston school system.

"They were throwing rocks, insults and we had t walk the kids to school," Jenkins said.

Listening to all this was a group of AmeriCorps volunteers. While the young volunteers say they grew up learning about segregation, civil rights and Dr. King's legacy, hearing the residents' stories about actually living through that era made for a particularly poignant celebration.

"When you can actually talk to someone who has lived that experience and feel what they feel, hear their specific story, it really sits with you and makes you realize you why we are doing this work," said AmeriCorps Program Director for the Children's Aid Society Sharifa Shorter.

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Veterans of Segregation Era Share Their Stories in Honor of MLK Jr.

Working out at the gym is great for your health, but it's also an easy place to pick up germs.

Some researchers are looking at what we wear, designing fabrics that could help keep us healthy and even kill bacteria.

Some studies show about one third to one half of gym surfaces have some sort of contamination.

"People are coughing, sneezing, there might be germs on their hands. They're using these machines, and there is the potential for spread," said Dr. Russ Greenfield, medical director for PurThread Technologies.

PurThread Technologies designs fabric that helps prevent the spread of bacteria, using silver in the material.

"There are different projects where its sprayed on or applies, but the newest kind is embedded into the fiber that can actually help prevent the spread of microbes by killing them on the spot," said Russ.

That's handy in a shirt for the gym, and not just to protect the person wearing it.

When you work out and you sweat, clothes start to smell really bad. One interesting effect of the new material is that it kills the bacteria that causes the odor.

You don't need a new wardrobe to fight germs at the gym. Always wipe down the machines.

We're going to trust our friends working out are doing the same, but we need to do that too, so after every use of a machine, wipe it down.

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Healthy Living: Gym Germs

Provided by Networx.com

1. Rustic Backyard Pond with Watering Can

A gorgeous water feature installation completes the picture of Jamie D's charming rural home. Powered by a pond pump, water filters into the spacious pond through a galvanized watering can for a uniquely rustic effect.

2. Pond in a Box

If you're not blessed with a big backyard or are not able to dig on your property, try the Empress of Dirt's ingenious pond in a box. That's right -- container ponds are the natural successors to container gardens. Add some bright flowers for a splash of color.

3. Bubbling Rock Water Feature

Kid-friendly pondless water features are safe and low-maintenance. Theresa Farrell Hathaway drilled natural rocks with a masonry bit and threaded them with flexible tubing to create this simple and inexpensive fountain with an authentic bubbling sound.

4. DIY Clacking Bamboo Pond Embellishment

Another soft-sounding water feature is this Zen-inspired garden decoration. The clacking bamboo is delightful to us humans, but is rumored to be an effective deer deterrent. The Garden Frog Boutique cut and dried her own bamboo to add to an existing pond on her land.

5. Rain Waterfall from a Storage Bin

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Water features add charm to your house and garden