Nearly 200 people take part in Waterways survey: prizes presented to five winners

Earlier this year, to celebrate the start of on-site work for the £2.7m project to restore the Grade II-listed Waterways and Boating Lake, Great Yarmouth Borough Council teamed up with the Mercury to give away five brown wheelie bins plus free fortnightly collections for 12 months.

A total of 194 people took part and shared information about how they use the Waterways, their views of the attraction and its community and historic value. Five winners were picked at random, and prizes were presented by staff from the borough council: Michael Trett (Environmental Services) and Alison Hall (Venetian Waterways Project Coordinator).

This winter, on-site preparatory work started on the project, which is supported by a £1.7m grant from the Heritage Lottery Fund/Big Lottery Fund Parks for People Programme, plus further support from New Anglia LEP and the Department for Communities and Local Government

Ahead of bird-nesting season, GYB Services Ltd, the council's operational partner, prepared the gardens by removing much of the existing planting, which is not in keeping with the original planting scheme, dating from 1928.

The original planting scheme will be reinstated by community volunteers as part of the project. Before these restoration works to the gardens, contractors will need to undertake on-site landscaping and engineering works, which are scheduled to get underway soon.

The research and interpretation element of the project has now begun, with volunteers being trained by BBC Our Voices to record people's memories of the Waterways, which will be archived and also played on "listening posts" at the restored attraction.

The borough council continues to seek volunteers from across the community to get involved with the project in a wide range of roles. 

To sign up for the council's brown wheelie bin kerbside collection service for garden waste, call 01493 742142.