We were fortunate again
with the weather when we were visited recently by members of the Waterway
Recovery Group (WRG). This team
of a dozen or so volunteers worked with us for a weekend at the beginning of
October to open up the original towpath on the north side of the canal,
between Station Road and Steppingstone Lane Bridge.
The scrub was very thick but the team managed to clear a route for
over 50% of the distance. The
local Branch will be continuing this over the next few work parties to
provide an all weather route for walkers.
Progress at Steppingstone
Lane Bridge has stopped for the moment while we discuss the construction
with Oxfordshire County Council. It
is very important to agree on the final engineering aspects in order to
ensure the long term maintenance and support for the bridge is covered.
We hope to begin building in the spring of 2004.
The long dry summer has
dried the canal between Station Road and Stainswick Lane but we expect that
with the coming of autumn, water will again appear.
This will continue to happen at irregular intervals until we link all
our local sections to a water source other than land drainage.
A dry canal bed does give us the opportunity to clear some unwanted
rubbish and young saplings trying to establish themselves.
The Canalside Park has
required cleaning up after the summer visits from the careless visitors.
We have collected several bags of cans and bottles plus dirty nappies
and assorted McDonalds rubbish over recent weeks.
It is a great pity and somewhat soul destroying to think that not
everyone values this amenity as we do.
For more information or
to volunteer assistance please come along to one of our meetings held in the
Shrivenham Bowls Club, Martens Road, on the second Wednesday of every month
at 8 p.m. You will be made very welcome. For those with a computer and
Internet access please visit our Branch Web Site at www.westvalecanal.org.uk.
Orph
Mable - Branch Project Co-ordinator