Published:
11:57 AM March 10, 2021
Updated:
11:53 AM March 11, 2021
Verulamium Lake has burst its banks, flooding the public toilets, due to excessive winter rainfall.
- Credit: Hillary Childs
Exceptionally high rainfall over the winter has left parks across the district with large areas still underwater - but what is being done to tackle the issue?
With the Met Office reporting regional rainfall in excess of 200 per cent of average in October and twice the normal amount in January, this resulted in saturated and water logged ground, which inevitably led to localised flooding and higher river levels.
At Verulamium Park, the River Ver breached its banks, overwhelming the capacity of the lakes, leaving footpaths unpassable and public toilets flooded.
Tour St Albans Museums story of Verulamium online
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Essential restoration work starts at St Albans Clock Tower
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An artist’s impression of how the new play area will look. note that some park trees not shown in the image will not be removed. Credit: St Albans District Council Work is to begin next month on a new £220,000 children’s playground in St Albans. The attraction at Clarence Park will include over 35 exciting features including a rope bridge, musical bandstand, swings, cricket pavilion multi-play unit, slide and zip wire. The play area was designed by specialist firm Kompan which was also the contractor for the new Verulamium Park play area. Work on the Clarence Park project will begin on March 8 when the existing playground will be closed.
Cllr Anthony Rowlands, portfolio holder for leisure said: “It’s about time that this popular, flagship park had a new, first class playground that will be enjoyed by young children and their parents for many years to come.
“It is being built on the site of the old playground which will be closed while it is dismantled while the new one is built in its place. I’m sure park visitors will put up with this inconvenience for a few weeks while they wait for the new attraction to open.
“The new Verulamium play area has been a raging success and I have had nothing but positive feedback. I am confident this will be the case with the Clarence Park project, too.”