Burland, Ravensmoor Wharf, October 2015 – December 2015
In recent times the site (by the Winding Hole at Bridge 6 on the Llangollen Canal) had been used as an informal car park, for fishing, occasionally as a temporary base for CRT operations and most recently had been adopted for a while by a group of resident boats with attendant vehicles. Vegetation was overgrown, litter was profuse and dumping/storage of materials was obtrusive. Vehicular access was fraught with traffic hazards and pedestrian access was muddy at best and flooded in times of serious rain.
On the towpath side of the canal, the grassy path was well maintained but the many signs were neglected and in some cases damaged by mechanical hedge trimming.
A group of volunteers gave attention to the many signs between Bridge 5 and Bridge 8, working on the day of the October Work Party, and again in November. Results:
The main group of volunteers was engaged in tidying the site with some strimming and litter picking whilst constructing new fences and gates, so as to provide safer access to and egress from the site and to prepare it for use as a loading bay for the local coal boats and for use as an operational base for CRT.
The roadside bank was cleared and the existing fence maintained and treated.Once the timbers arrived, contruction began.
By the end of the day, the safe off-road access to the gated site was completed. The volunteers were helped enormously by members of the CRT workforce with the two groups working very happily together and enjoying each other’s company.
The new post-hole borer made significant savings on manual digging! On arrival for the November day volunteers found a rather wet worksite!
As the weather improved a little holes were dug so that when the day’s timber delivery arrived, the fence was quickly extended and an additional gate installed giving access to the adjacent field and dredging tip area.
A ditch was made (with some merry collaboration of volunteers and CRT professionals!) so as to drain the site into the canal.In spite of the weather and delayed deliveries, the day’s ambitions were achieved. Only painting and treatment of the timbers had mostly to be left until next time hopefully in January, weather permitting.
On Sunday 29th November, four group members manned our stall at the Aqueduct Marina Christmas Fair and in spite of very poor weather conditions and low turnout, they were able to add a little to our contingency fund.
A few statistics for the year 2015:
Number of Work Parties completed 17
Number of volunteers involved 42
Largest number at a Work Party 24
Number of Volunteer days 385.64 days
Our next project is planned for 28th January 2016 when we hope to begin work on laying a new stone surface to the road area at Ravensmoor Wharf, weather permitting.
Please address all STTV correspondence to:
Paul Mills 0151-336-1049 / 07947-887909
exelbee@sky.com
Bulletin matter to:
johnbann@aol.com
John Bannister (NB Bisbigliando)
exelbee@sky.com