Work on new Walsall Arboretum visitor centre is beginning
Work to allow the final phase of the multi-million pound revamp of Walsall Arboretum to go-ahead was starting today.
The fifth and final piece in the £7.6 million refurbishment jigsaw will involve the creation of a visitor centre.
The new centre will be housed on the site of existing park buildings at the Centre Green and will feature a cafeteria, classroom, changing rooms, new toilet and baby changing facilities and a meeting room and offices.
Almost £1m needs to be spent on stabilising an embankment before the centre is built. It emerged last month that a family living next to the site claims it is being forced to contribute towards the stabilisation work.
Willmott Dixon Ltd is carrying out the work, due to be completed early next year.
Walsall's leisure chief Councillor Anthony Harris said: "This is an exciting milestone in the life of this restoration project and it reminds us all that we're on the home straight. The visitor centre is a major feature and will help transform our much-loved arboretum while opening up greater opportunities for even more people to enjoy our premier park. In 2015 we will have a restored arboretum that boasts a fantastic centre to be proud of."
The work had previously been delayed because of nesting birds.
The £7.6m scheme to transform the arboretum began in 2010 with the bandstand being refurbished. A new-look lido has also been opened following a £250,000 revamp.
The boathouse has been restored and boating is expected to return to Hatherton Lake in the future after being stopped for almost two decades.
The £200,000 refurbishment of the Edwardian-style Leckie Sons of Rest building has also been carried out.