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Inspecting the River

Valerie Formby writes

I spent a couple of hours on Tuesday 23 March 2004 at the invitation of the Admiral of the Dee (Lord Mayor, Councillor Barry Cowper) to Friends of Caldy Nature Park to join him and other interested parties for his annual inspection of the river. The morning was warm and sunny, and by courtesy of Blithells Boats refreshments were served. The smaller launch was able to take us up to Eccleston, a stretch of the river that I have not seen for a long time. It was fascinating to see the life on the river and the unspoiled river banks.

Enjoyable though it was, there was work to be done. A number of issues raised during last year's inspection had been addressed but there were still a few outstanding. On the feedback form I raised two issues.

Firstly bushes had been removed from the landing stage side of the slipway at Sandy Lane last year. This greenery not only provided shelter for the wildlife but was aesthetically pleasing to look at. Now, with the removal of the bushes, it looks like a barren piece of derelict waste land with debris scattered around, now in full view and looking a total eyesore.

The second issue I raised was concerning inadequate access to the Meadows for those of us who live in Huntington, Boughton, etc. The ferry service runs for only a few months of the year and nobody really knows when it will be there. It would be such an asset if everyone in the area could enjoy the amenity that the Meadows offers; a healthy walk into Chester, walks along the bank of the river to Eccleston, and much more. I would like to see a footbridge over the river, sited somewhere along the Sandy Lane stretch which would allow access to the river for everyone, in particular access for the disabled, mothers with pushchairs, etc, so many more pople could enjoy what the Meadows has to offer during any season, any weather, throughout the year.

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