A MUCH-needed renovation of Kingfisher Pools in Warwick is under way.
The Junior Angling Committee has announced that they have secured enough funding to renovate all three of their pools in St Nicholas Park – a job which has needed doing since the pandemic.
The work – set to begin at the end of February into March – will include removing the silt from King Henry Pools and re-installing pond dipping platforms, as well as undertaking bank erosion work on the main Kingfisher Pool.
The Kingfisher Pool complex, incorporating Britain’s only purpose-built junior angling pool, was created in 1997 when it was no longer possible to teach junior angling from riverbanks, due to the withdrawal of insurance.
The pools were developed by the Junior Angling Committee on land in St Nicholas Park leased from Warwick District Council after significant fundraising.
The JAC now regularly hold free coaching sessions where children and disabled persons of all ages can learn to fish and now has over 200 members.
The area is also designated as a ‘Local Nature Reserve’ and incorporates three distinct areas, all looked after by the JAC, with support from WDC.
These are the Kingfisher Pool – the largest pool, designed in a horseshoe shape with 37 fishing platforms, the King Henry Pool – a wildlife pool, designed for pond dipping and nature and the Natural Pool – designed to be a fully wild area for park wildlife and managed fully by WDC.
Following the pandemic, when maintenance on the pools was not possible, the pools have become overgrown, saplings have taken root, the King Henry Pool has filled up with silt and the old pond-dipping platforms have now been fully removed, having fallen into disrepair over the last few years.
The JAC secured significant funding from King Henry VIII Endowed Trust and WDC but from other local trusts and organisations including Warwick Natural History Society, Warwick Rotary Club, St Mary’s Hall Trust, Austin Edwards Charitable Trust, St Mary’s Hall Trust and Warwick Relief in Need to allow them to complete the whole project this year.
WDC Leader Coun Andrew Day said: “The Kingfisher pools complex is an important part of St Nicholas Park both as a natural habitat and as a leisure facility. We are pleased to be managing the renovation project, in conjunction with the Junior Angling Committee, to enable the local community to fully benefit from all this area has to offer.”
JAC Secretary Sue Griffin, Secretary added: “We have been working so hard to try and find a way to renovate Kingfisher Pools and I would like to thank Warwick District Council and King Henry VIII Endowed Trust for their support in helping make this happen. We have been overwhelmed by the generosity of all the other organisations who have also donated towards this project.
“This renovation project will make a massive difference to all users of the park for many years to come.”
