Sunday 26th June 2011 was a special day for the Decoy Pond, Hampden Park. A special ceremony took place to mark the completion of the restoration project that began in April.
Those present included the Deputy Mayor Councillor Mike Thompson, local MP Stephen Lloyd, Fran Davis of the Community Spaces Lottery Fund, the Friends of the Hampden Park, Council Parks and Gardens staff and staff from OHES Environmental the specialist company who carried out the work.
Around the margins of the pond and at the silt trap new planting will mature over the next 1 to 2 years creating important areas of wildlife habitat. To help prevent grazing of the new plants, particularly by geese, wire netting has been erected and will probably remain for around 12 months or longer if required.
Marginal planting and partial
re-excavation of the pond and other works upstream have been designed to improve the water quality. Nutrient levels in the water should slowly decrease thus helping produce an enhanced aquatic environment.
While in the park visitors may notice fish grouping in the shallows and swimming with their backs exposed, splashing about or even remaining quite still. These fish are not in distress and are either spawning or basking.
Fisheries biologists have played a key advisory role in this project and fish welfare continues to be monitored.
A leaflet can be downloaded below.
