Changing face of Walsall Arboretum
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Visitors to Walsall's premier park are certainly noticing the changes as contractors continue major landscaping work through the fourth phase of the Arboretum's restoration.
Contractors English Landscapes Limited started this phase of the overall £7.6m scheme last month.
This programme of work will see the park’s entrance gates be repaired and refurbished, boundary walls at Lichfield Street, Arboretum Road and Broadway North repaired, boundary railings and internal park railings repaired and replaced and repairs carried out to brook bridges.
New park benches will be installed, with existing benches repaired. There will be new litter bins and new signs and footpaths will be repaired and resurfaced along with the creation of some new ones.
Horticultural improvements will include new tree and shrub planting and the clock tower entrance green, Deep Pond and Hatherton Lake margins, disused tennis courts, old tea garden and former nursery area will be landscaped.
The park’s tennis courts will be refurbished and the Broadway toilet blocks, adjacent to the clock tower will be demolished.
So far, work is continuing to reconstruct footpaths in the Lion's Den - the Lion’s Den is the area behind the Park Tavern pub and Hydesville Tower School on the Broadway.
The old nursery site adjacent to the Park Tavern pub is being cleared in preparation for landscape works and the creation of a new entrance at Broadway North.
Drainage works on the Centre Green have been completed and the central footpath removed.
The Centre Green will remain closed as the ground is reinstated and new kerb edgings are installed in preparation for footpath resurfacing works in the area.
The Beacon Way path behind the old tennis courts and Bowling Greens is currently closed as a new gravel footpath is constructed.
Part of the old tennis court area off Arboretum Road has been fenced off to use as a storage area for excavated material but pedestrians can still use the area at present.
Councillor Anthony Harris, Walsall Council cabinet member for leisure and culture, said: "This important phase of the Arboretum's restoration is bringing about some very noticeable changes.
"There's major landscaping work going on and this phase is due to last for another 12 months.
"We're keeping disruption to a minimum for visitors and will continue to keep them in the picture regarding the closure of any areas while this work progresses.
"This project, when completed, will be without doubt the jewel in the crown for Walsall."
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