Brooklands Park boardwalk takes shape

The renovation work at Brooklands Park continues apace...

As wildlife and flowers continue to find the park’s wetlands a safe haven in the hot summer weather, the environmental management team from Five Rivers Environmental Contracting has returned to work on the new boardwalk.

Built on an oak base and with a decking made of highly durable recycled plastic, it will wind its way up the western side of the lake.

Ben Sharp, Environmental Site Manager for Five Rivers, said:

“All credit to the Council for using this recycled material. I’d not seen it before and it’s very tough and quite impressive. The great advantage of the boardwalk is that you are actually on the water which brings you much closer to the wonderful flora and fauna in and around the edges of the lake.”

The team is also due to install a floating raft for nesting terns and a floating island for wildlife on the lake. The work will continue until late August. The new work and habitats will then be allowed to rest for about six weeks before the fencing around the lake is removed.

Councillor Edward Crouch, Worthing Borough Council’s Executive Member for Digital & Environmental Services, said:

“I am impressed with the pace of the work at Brooklands and excited to see the boardwalk taking shape. It’s really encouraging to see what can be done when the strong community spirit represented by the Friends of Brooklands Park works together with the Council to make things happen.”

Worthing Borough Council has funded a six-month programme to drain the lake removing tonnes of silt that had accumulated over the years, rebuild banks with new flora and create a new island on the lake to be used by wildlife.