October 10, 2019 9.15 am This story is over 53 months old

Council backs return of Boultham Park boating

It’s part of an improvement project
City of Lincoln Council submitted plans to restore and improve Boultham Park's lake.

Boating will return to Boultham Park in Lincoln after an improvements project was approved by city councillors.

City of Lincoln Council’s planning committee backed the scheme last night, which will see a 10 rowing boat pontoon built and a series of fishing pegs installed around the lake.

A new viewing platform, seating area and five pieces of public art in the park are also included in the plan.

The council is working on a bid to the National Lottery Heritage Fund to help pay for the improvements and hopes to start work next year.

Also included in the proposals are measures to clean up the lake.

Some restoration of the park, which celebrated it’s 90th anniversary this year, has already taken place.

Documents submitted to the authority by LDA Design said the lake had “fallen into disrepair” and described the water quality as “poor”.

The plans will include new equipment to stop silt building up and encourage more wildlife, new plants and trees around the end of the lake, and bird and bat boxes.

Public artwork is set to surround the pond providing information on wildlife, the history of the lake, and how to get involved with Boultham Park Advisory Group and volunteers.

Pieces of artwork with information boards are planned to be situated around the lake.

Further proposals look to improve the biodiversity of the area, strengthen the edges of the lake and improve access to the viewing platform and nearby beacon which is set to be refurbished.

37 trees which are in poor health or are eroding the lake edges will also be removed from the park.

Tammy Smalley, head of conservation at Lincolnshire Wildlife Trust which supported the plan, said the project will help improve the bioversity of the park.

“Everything that we are involved in is because we want to recover nature,” she said.

“The reason we are giving our time to this project is because we believe the city council is doing the right thing and the Boultham Park restoration is the way forward.”

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