You Are Here

Secret Lake Stories is a soundwork by sound designer and composer Emily Zurowski, recorded on and around a small, enclosed body of water known locally as the Secret Lake, on the border of Levenshulme and Reddish in Greater Manchester. Largely hidden from surrounding streets and reached by footpaths through scrub and woodland, the lake sits within a patchwork of former industrial land, housing, railway edges and informal green space.The piece is centred on the voices of people who know the lake well and spend time there: walkers, neighbours and those who return to it regularly. Their reflections, memories and observations are interwoven with field recordings made at the site, capturing water movement, birdsong and distant human activity.The lake itself originated as part of an industrial-era water system, later falling out of use and gradually becoming rewilded. Over time it has developed into a quiet, unofficial local landmark, shaped as much by neglect and chance as by design.Best experienced on headphones.Composed and created by Emily Zurowski Produced for Levenshulme Old LibraryExecutive producer - Richard V. HirstRecorded on location in 2025 at the Secret LakeTo find out more, visit levenshulmeoldlibrary.org.uk.

Highfield Country Park – Portrait of the ParkProduced by Levenshulme Old LibrarySound design by OscilloscopeHighfield Country Park stretches across woodland, open ground and winding trails - a space for wandering, noticing and sometimes getting a little lost.In this portrait, writer Dipika Mummery shares her personal connection to Highfield, reflecting on how its landscape and wildlife shaped her story, Parakeet.Part of You Are Here, a podcast from Levenshulme Old Library featuring five original short stories, soundscapes, and portraits inspired by Levenshulme’s parks and green spaces.Produced by Levenshulme Old Library, commissioned by The Space and supported by Arts Council EnglandExplore the full project: levenshulmeoldlibrary.org.uk/you-are-hereWe’d love to hear what you think - share your feedback here.

Truck | Intelligible | Gains (Fallowfield Loop Soundscape)Sound design by OscillateA soundscape created using field recordings gathered on the Fallowfield LoopThe Fallowfield Loop curves through South Manchester - a former railway line turned walking and cycling route, lined with overgrown platforms, graffiti, birdsong and nature.This soundscape captures the fragments of life that echo along the Loop. Built from field recordings made on location, it offers a different way of listening to the park: not a story, but a space - shifting, layered, and full of atmosphere.Part of You Are Here, a podcast from Levenshulme Old Library featuring five original short stories, soundscapes, and audio portraits inspired by Levenshulme’s parks and green spaces.Produced by Levenshulme Old Library, commissioned by The Space and supported by Arts Council EnglandExplore the full project: levenshulmeoldlibrary.org.uk/you-are-hereWe’d love to hear what you think — share your feedback here.

Fears | Boring | Chip (Nutsford Vale Soundscape)Sound design by OscillateA soundscape created using field recordings gathered in Nutsford ValeNutsford Vale sits in a quiet dip between roads and houses - once a clay pit, later a landfill, now a park. It’s a place shaped by layers, histories and reinvention.This soundscape gathers sounds and textures from the park, creating a layered, atmospheric reflection of the space as it is and was.Part of You Are Here, a podcast from Levenshulme Old Library featuring five original short stories, soundscapes, and audio portraits inspired by Levenshulme’s parks and green spaces.Produced by Levenshulme Old Library, commissioned by The Space and supported by Arts Council England.Explore the full project here: levenshulmeoldlibrary.org.uk/you-are-hereWe’d love to hear what you think — share your feedback here.

ParakeetWritten and performed by Dipika MummerySet in Highfield Country ParkAs snow falls on Highfield Country Park, Neena walks with her partner Mo. He’s made a decision - one that could take them away from the life they’ve built together. Parakeet is a quiet, powerful story about belonging, uncertainty, and what it means to put down roots.Dipika Mummery has written short stories and flash fiction across genres including sci-fi, fantasy, realist fiction and horror. Her work has been published by Comma Press, Arachne Press, Fox & Windmill, Tasavvur, and Fly on the Wall Press. She has an MA in Creative Writing from The University of Manchester and is currently working on a novel. You Are Here is a podcast from Levenshulme Old Library featuring five original short stories inspired by Levenshulme’s parks and green spaces.Levenshulme Old Library is a community-led arts and culture space in South Manchester. Based in a former Carnegie library, it supports local creativity through workshops, performances and place-based storytelling projects that reflect the neighbourhood’s unique character and voices.The podcast is produced by Levenshulme Old Library, commissioned by The Space, and supported by Arts Council England.Series editor: Richard V. HirstProduction and sound design: OscillateExplore the full project at: levenshulmeoldlibrary.org.uk/you-are-hereWe’d love to hear what you think - share your feedback here.