A weekly post to update you on what has happened in Poole Park over the last week, and what to expect this week.
This weeks update starts with what is happening this week, rather than looking back, and for good reason:
Wednesday 10th April, Lakes and Lagoon Celebration Event, 11am to 3pm.
The area behind The Ark that has been closed to public access will be re-opened and the large majority of safety fencing removed on Wednesday morning. The new landscaping around the freshwater lakes is complete apart from the planting of the beds which will continue to be undertaken over the next month (including plenty of volunteering opportunities if you would like to help and get involved!).
The event will show off the improvements, BCP staff will be on hand to talk to you about why the lagoon has been dredged, what benefits that will bring to the park’s special wildlife, the plants that have been specified for the islands and around the lakes and to answer any other queries.
Also at the event you will be able to help with the planting – whether you would like to plant one or lots – and talk to our partners at the Dorset Wildlife Trust, Birds of Poole Harbour and Litter free Coast and Sea and works contractor Ebsford Environmental. Please drop in at any time and find us near to Middle Gate car park in the centre of Poole Park. Facebook event can be found here.
What is happening next?
Continuing to look forward, the amphibious excavator will be back in the park this week to undertake the final lagoon works now that the lagoon has been re-filled and flushed through a couple of times over the last weekend. The final island near the railway line will be finished and other areas altered to make sure they are working well, including the island feature near to middle gate car park that does not have an edge and needs more sediment to raise it above the water line.
During week commencing the 15th April the containers and storage areas at the end of Park Lake Road will start to be off-hired and cleared away, with reinstatement then taking place. The question of when the path will be re-opened depends on when the final stone materials for the brick piers at the sluice channel are delivered. If they arrive on time then we hope to be able to re-open the path on Thursday 18th, before the Easter weekend.
We are looking forward to being able to re-open the closed sections of park and allow Park Users to be able to enjoy the new views, benches, pathways and planting.Works are nearly complete, there are thousands of plants need to go in to the lagoon islands and around the freshwater lakes.
We will be putting dates on our volunteering page soon and will have more details in next week’s update. Tomorrow will see the planting of 21 semi-mature trees going in around the freshwater lakes.
Read more on the background to the sluice bridge here, and the lakes and lagoon works here.
A selection of photos from today showing off the improvements nearing completion: Final raking of soil, trees and shrubs waiting to be planted, Bay Willow (Salix Pentandra) planted on the eastern side of the freshwater lake just coming in to bud and views of the lagoon with gulls enjoying their new homes.
Thanks for reading.
