Canal restoration by the Trust in Hereford began in earnest in August 2002 following the acquisition of the Aylestone Park site by Herefordshire Council, and the formation of a partnership between the Herefordshire and Gloucestershire Canal Trust, Herefordshire Council and The Aylestone Park Association.
The plan was to develop the site to provide much needed sports and recreational facilities, and to restore the quarter mile section of the canal running along the northern boundary of the park.
Aylestone Park – The Early Years
The Trust’s initial intention was to clear the line of the canal of 100 years of rubbish and undergrowth, and to open up the towpath as part of the new facilities offered by the park. Trust volunteers, supported by the Waterways Recovery Group managed much work to clear the towpath at this time..
Plans for the WRG to dredge the canal channel, during Easter 2004 had to be suspended following the discovery of heavy metals contamination of the silt.
The inevitable delays that followed did not mean that restoration work stopped, and the WRG were back October 2004 to construct new paths extending to 330m along the canal towards the Aylestone Tunnel portal.
During this period some eighteen Waterways Recovery Group volunteers on each of the work camps stayed at Yarkhill Village Hall and made considerable progress on a new slipway and additional jobs of building a network of footpaths and cycleways around the Park, planting trees and installing four picnic benches.However, the WRG were able to divert their resources to assist in constructing 2.5km of pathways and erecting fencing around the park boundary.
Trust volunteers continued to support the other community groups during 2005, with more fencing, path laying, vegetation clearance, and construction of a secure works compound on the site, and the WRG returned again in July 2005 to provide essential training on the use of mechanical plant planned to be used later in the project.
Subsequent Developments
Since then a significant project to remove contaminated silt from the canal channel has been completed, Trust volunteers have constructed a boat launching slipway, and contractors engaged by the Trust have completed work to create a new overflow weir.
May 2014 – Construction of the Overflow Weir at Aylestone Park nears completion.
As can be seen in the photos we now have all the concrete finished on the impressive new overflow weir (capacity 6.5 cubic metres per second) to serve the City […]
February 2014 – Aylestone Overflow Weir Construction
The contract for the construction of the weir was awarded by the H&G CT to Gardiners Construction. The work has not gone as fast as we would have liked but […]
November 2013 – Construction of the Overflow Weir at Aylestone Park
Construction of the Overflow Weir at Aylestone Park The H&G Canal Trust negotiated a new contract with Gardiners Construction to construct the weir on its behalf and, as Colin Dymott’s […]
Spring 2013 – Aylestone Overflow Weir Plans
Delivery of the Aylestone Park Project on this site now moved to one that is contract led to ensure that what was now required at this key weir location could […]
Aylestone Boat Gathering – May 2011
Aylestone Boat Gathering – May 2011. Over 2,100 was the estimated attendance over the day of the Aylestone Boat Gathering at Aylestone Park in Hereford on 22 May 2011. Families […]
Summer 2009 – Aylestone Park Canal Slipway Construction
Aylestone Park Canal Slipway Construction Following the construction of a large car park within 10m of the Canal on Aylestone Park, it was proposed to construct a slipway to allow […]
2007 – Aylestone Park Silt Removal
2007 Silt Removal Finally, specialist contractors Celtic Technologies moved onto site during summer 2007, to lift and treat the contaminated silt. The solution adopted saw 1800m3 of the silt taken […]
Early Plans for Canal Restoration at Aylestone Park in Hereford
Canal restoration by the Trust in Hereford began in earnest in August 2002 following the acquisition of the Aylestone Park site by Herefordshire Council, and the formation of a partnership […]
