IWA Restoration Committee's Visit to the Sankey

On 10th December, Halton BC and SCARS welcomed the IWA Restoration Committee to Widnes. The Committee, who were last on the Sankey in 1998, were keen to look at a number of sites, in particular the section at Hey Lock, which had been the subject of a bid for the Association's 60th Jubilee Grant.

The Committee always arranges its Meetings near waterways which are being restored. They hold their own formal Meeting - on this occasion in the Spike Island Visitor Centre, courtesy of Halton BC - have a quick lunch, and then go out on site with their host Society.

Using one of Waterway Recovery Group's conspicuous minibuses, they started their tour (above) at Newton Common Lock, where they could see how neglected this major international structure has become - covered in graffiti and half-hidden by overgrown trees and shrubs.

From there they travelled to Hey Lock (right), where they were certainly impressed with the attractiveness of the canal above (below, left) and below (below, right) the lock and clearly felt that the site had potential. It was even suggested that this would make a good site for a trailboat rally, though we are inclined to be thinking more of Spike Island in terms of ease of access and other logistics.

After Hey, we took them to Sankey Bridges and Fidlers Ferry before the winter sun disappeared for the last time over the horizon.

The party at Sankey Bridges. Left: inspecting the fence which Warrington BC erected temporarily because the bank is collapsing into the canal beyond the overflow. Right: Fading light - by the time we reached Fiddlers Ferry it was too dark for pictures to be taken.

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