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Ver Park masterplan revealed
AN AMBITIOUS plan to transform Verulamium Park for tourists, residents and wildlife alike has been published, backed by a two-million Lottery bid.
After years of uncertainty over the park's future, dogged by conflict between nature conservationists, cyclists and dog walkers, the district council, which owns it, has drawn up a comprehensive blueprint.
Council leader Robert Donald, who chairs a steering group overseeing the project, said: "Verulamium Park is one of the St Albans district's greatest jewels and our premier open space.
"The project partners want to make it even better for residents and visitors alike to enjoy as a gateway into our city's history and heritage and fit for the 21st Century."
The park's heritage as the site of the Roman city of Verulamium will be enhanced with improvements to the main entrance near Westminster Lodge.
Visitors will have better interpretation boards and easier access to the remains of the Roman wall.
To address criticism's that the park offers little for wildlife, there will be bird and bat boxes, new trees and hedgerows with ecology notice boards.
Children will have new play areas closer to the Splash Park, while teenagers will enjoy an area with hammocks, a climbing wall and trampolines in the centre of the park.
Previous proposals to allow cycling have foundered after vigorous opposition, but under the proposals a new bike path will connect King Harry Lane with The Fighting Cocks pub.
Earlier proposals to convert the main lake into a semi-natural wetland and divert the river were even more controversial, but have been substantially scaled down.
The lake will stay, although its concrete border will be naturalised over time with reeds and other aquatic plants.
As well as improving its appearance and general wildlife value, it is hoped this will deter the Canada geese whose droppings encourage harmful algae and degrade the water.
The River Ver will follow its present course, except for a small diversion by the Fighting Cocks millpond, which will be isolated from its flow and fed by a small artificial channel.
Together with the removal of silt, the scheme aims to restore the Ver into a natural chalk stream, a valuable wildlife habitat, and maintain its flow in dry periods.
As the Westminster Lodge sports centre is rebuilt, it will get new, closer tennis and netball courts , while joggers and walkers will have new paths.
The council, which has budgeted £250,000 for the project, hopes its Lottery bid will be accepted by late September, although other sources of funds will be needed.
The steering group also includes the cathedral, the Countryside Management Service, the Environment Agency, the Civic Society, the county wildlife trust and residents' groups such as the Friends of Verulamium Park.
Councillor Donald is optimistic the Heritage Lottery Fund will come up with the cash as it has already provided £50,000 for preliminary work.
3:46pm Sunday 23rd March 2008
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CommentPosted by: Bob, St Albans on 1:29pm Mon 24 Mar 08
What lucky timing, the Lib Dems managed to launch this wonder plan just in time for the May elections. Next they'll persuade Henry Davidson to lob in their revised re-revised cinema plan and send the Tesco planning application back "for more detail" so it doesn't come back until after May 8th.
Presumably there will be new jobs created to educate the canada geese about their bad habits and harmful droppings and if they don't co-operate they'll all be served with ASBOs.
The only way to deal with the criminally inclined canada geese is to cull them and shoot any new arrivals on sight.
Cycling in the Park causes less stress and harm than slimey green smelly goose poo.
What lucky timing, the Lib Dems managed to launch this wonder plan just in time for the May elections. Next they'll persuade Henry Davidson to lob in their revised re-revised cinema plan and send the Tesco planning application back "for more detail" so it doesn't come back until after May 8th.
Presumably there will be new jobs created to educate the canada geese about their bad habits and harmful droppings and if they don't co-operate they'll all be served with ASBOs.
The only way to deal with the criminally inclined canada geese is to cull them and shoot any new arrivals on sight.
Cycling in the Park causes less stress and harm than slimey green smelly goose poo.
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