Views heard on Arboretum
Around 1,000 people took the opportunity to have their say on plans to restore Walsall's Arboretum to its former glory before the submission of a £5 million bid for lottery funding.
Around 1,000 people took the opportunity to have their say on plans to restore Walsall's Arboretum to its former glory before the submission of a £5 million bid for lottery funding.
Walsall Council is hoping to secure the money from the Heritage Lottery Fund to carry out several projects including restoring the bandstand and semi-derelict boathouse, a new visitor/education centre, toilets and a cafe.
A decision on whether the authority has secured the funding should be known by September. The remainder of the money for the project which will cost a total of £8 million, will be secured by the council from its own budget and other sources.
Before the plans were submitted Walsall Council asked Arboretum users for their views to help them draw up the final plans.
In total 621 people responded online, council officers spoke to 317 people in the Arboretum, 38 responses were received from community organisations and there were 30 replies from schools. If the grant is approved, work is set to start in March 2009.