UIG via Getty ImagesConstruction has begun to transform the Liverpool, U.K.-area site that served as inspiration for the classic 1967 Beatles song “Strawberry Fields” into a public attraction. A ground-breaking ceremony was held Tuesday at the site of Strawberry Field, a one-time Salvation Army children’s home in the Liverpool suburb of Woolton that a young John Lennon frequently would visit to play with the youngsters who lived there.
The Strawberry Field facility, which is expected to open next summer, will feature a visitor attraction that will share the story of Lennon’s connection to the site, as well as a vocational-training and work-placement center for young people with learning disabilities.
Lennon’s sister, Julia Baird, and late Beatles producer George Martin‘s widow, Lady Judy Martin, took part in the ceremony. A time capsule featuring photos and memorabilia was buried at the site.
Lady Martin said in a statement, “The plans to open Strawberry Field to the public for the first time — so people can see a unique exhibition about the home, how and why the song was written by John, and allow visitors to explore the grounds as John did as a child — is very exciting.”
As a child, Lennon would jump the fence of Strawberry Field and hang out on its grounds, often playing with its young residents and listening to the Salvation Army Band perform.
Visit StrawberryFieldLiverpool.com for more details about the facility.
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