Restoration work on Liverpool’s Sefton Park will be completed this summer
Restoration work on Liverpool’s Sefton Park will be completed this summer. It marks the culmination of a £6m, three-year project to refurbish Sefton Park, with 75% of the costs met through the Heritage Lottery Fund.
The park scheme has been held up by a series of dramatic incidents, including a suspected unexploded bomb, the killing of a Somalian student by an armed gang, and the recent heavy snowfall.
The wide-ranging makeover of the Grade II-listed Victorian park has been carried out in three phases. The first two involved a major civil engineering project to repair the banks of the boating lake – including emptying it of all fish – and restoration work on the park’s monuments and fountains.
The third, and final, phase will see a new lakeside refreshment kiosk created on the site of the former boathouse.
Once this is finished by Easter, the existing Aviary cafe will be temporarily closed to allow major extension works on the building to be completed. When finished, it will consist of a new Park Ranger area for community use, and a revamped cafe/restaurant.
A terrace and glazed windows will allow people to enjoy sweeping views of the park, including the Shaftesbury memorial fountain, with its fully restored bronze base and a replica of its famous Eros statue.
Tom Duckworth, project manager for Sefton Park, said: “The work has been delayed by a number of factors beyond our control, such as the recent snowfall. This is a huge project and all these things need to be accommodated.”
The works also included the clearing away of overgrowth from watercourses to reveal previously hidden treasures, such as waterfalls and a small island by the William Rathbone monument.
Signposting, seating and pathways have also been improved, along with the creation of a new children’s play area. The famous bandstand – said to have been the inspiration for Sgt Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band – was fully renovated by specialists and is now back in its original home near the lake.
Mr Duckworth said: “This is a very special place and one of the best parks in the world.
“When the work is completed, it will breathe new life into this beautiful green haven.
“We want to make it fit for the 21st century, but the history of the park is also a big part of its character.”
The fish that were removed from the lake while work was carried out will be restored in consultation with the Environment Agency, while franchisees are being sought to bring back boats for hire on the lake. The Heritage Lottery Fund provided £4.8m towards the cost of the restoration project, with Liverpool City Council paying the rest.
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