People are being urged not to enter the dry lake bed at St George Park while the works are still ongoing. The major works at the park in East Bristol were initially expected to be completed in mid-May, and then early July, but the council has now said that the project has taken "a little longer than planned due to a number of reasons".
The £400,000 project will include the creation of new wetlands habitats and an amphitheatre for performances at the popular Bristol park. Bristol City Council first announced that the "area around the lake" would be closed to the public for six months in mid-November.
A park user told BristolLive that she was deeply worried about the lake, particularly during the heatwave last week when she was concerned it may completely dry out. She said she was concerned that, as the works are delayed, this may be having an impact on the wildlife, therefore undermining the whole project.
Read more: St George's Park works 'fall behind schedule' due to poor weather
She claimed that rubbish is now accumulating due to people going on the dry bed, adding that the lake bed is a danger to children. Bristol City Council was asked when it estimates that the works will be completed and if anyone had looked into the impact the delays may be having on the biodiversity of the area and, if so, what their findings were.
A Bristol City Council spokesperson said that they will need to see how the refilling goes before reassessing a timescale, adding the amphitheatre has been seeded and will take some time for the grass to establish itself.
The spokesperson added that the lake area will be totally fenced off tomorrow (August 16) and that signs will be put up advising the public that it is closed. It said: “We secured £400,000 of investment for the restoration of the facilities at St George Lake, not only to provide a beautiful space for residents and visitors to enjoy, but to create a more attractive and supportive environment for wildlife to thrive.
"The project works include; completely new and safe pathways, a new amphitheatre for outdoor performances, a boardwalk dipping platform and bird and bat boxes. We’ve also taken silt from the lake and planted new wetland plant species within it, creating new protected habitats for wildfowl, frogs and insects.
“The project has taken a little longer than planned, due to a number of reasons. A pair of breeding swans were being carefully monitored and eventually had to be rehomed to a sanctuary in Wales.
“We have also been hampered by weather – too much rainfall during the de-silting process. And too little rainfall during the refilling process.
"We ask that people please have patience while the final step is completed as it is vital, for the health and wellbeing of wildlife in the area and animals in the lake, that the lake refills fully and the area is not disturbed while this process takes place.
"Fencing will remain in place for the time being to protect the area and we strongly urge people not to enter the dry lake bed during this time. When the lake is fully reopen, we will let residents know.”
On Twitter, Bristol parks said that the hot weather had meant the lake was taking longer than usual to fill.
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