Development of the Linden Glade Pool - 2023
In spite of all the work in 2016 on the Linden Glade Pool in 2018 the pool started to leak again badly. It seemed that the concrete liner was being cracked by growing roots of the Lime trees. We thus explored the possibility of creating a new pool in a different location but this was rejected by the Council.
At the end of 2022 we were approached by a visitor whose parents had been lovers of the wood generally and Linden Glade in particular. She wished to do a major restoration of the pool and offered to provide financial resources and labour to carry out the work. Council approval was given for this at an on-site meeting on 18th January.
On 29th January the Work Team visited Linden Glade to measure the existing pool in preparation for plans being drawn up for the development. The photos below show the condition of the pool at that time.
If you would like to contribute to the cost of this project, you can do so through Just Giving at https://checkout.justgiving.com/c/3088192
After much discussion amongst Friends who knew about pool creation a draft plan was drawn up on top of a drone photograph with a proposed cross section.
In discussion with the Council it had been agreed that it would be necessary to cut back the Limes surrounding the pool to ensure that more light got through to the new pool. Thus on 10th February 2023 Council contractors cut back many of the overhanging branches and felled 2 of the Lime trees. The cut timber was left in piles for later collection. This left the Glade looking much more open - see the photos below & right.
Clearance of the Pool - 23 April 2023 - report and photos by Ted Forsyth & John Zareba
Action began shortly after 10.10am in continuous light rain. Mud was scraped into buckets and disposed of in the woodland (see top photo). Mark and Louise arrived half an hour later with another relative, by which time most of the mud had gone. Activity then changed to loosening stones around the edge of the area in preparation for for laying a flexible liner at a later date. Another family of Louise's relatives arrived and while dad got involved in removing edge stones young Louie decided to tackle the large stone in the middle by using a spade, which he could hardly lift, as a lever! As vandals had squashed the copper tube, which normally trickles water into the basin at the top of the cairn, two or three people took turns to expose the copper tube for later repair. More work will be done another time.
Tuesday 18th July - report and "after" photo by Linda Morris - photos below show before and after cleaning
Jim and Linda took buckets, spades (snow scrapers actually) and brooms to the Pool to clear recent rain, dirt and gale debris. They were pleasantly surprised to see most of the water had dried up - just shows how quickly it disappears through the cracks and with evaporation! There weren't too many twigs either so the bulk of the work was sweeping to get as clean a surface as possible. David and Colin joined them soon after they started and the job was done within about 90 minutes.
After a quick late elevenses break, they all returned to the tool store via the fallen tree at Noakes Way and cleared that - plus a few other overhanging branches encountered en route.
Jim and Linda were very grateful for the additional help and are now hoping it doesn't get too wet or windy before Monday to mess up the old exposed pool basin again. They are planning to go again on Sunday afternoon for one last sweep and to clean out the grooves around the rim as they didn't have the right equipment to do that today.
Depending on the forecast, they might then decide to cover the basin to try to keep it as dry and clean as possible overnight.
Linda will be there to let the fibreglass layer in on Monday morning and to lock up Vincent Avenue Gate again after them. Jim has kindly offered to support her at times during the day. They are just hoping for fine weather!
Friday 21st July - report and photos by Linda Morris
I've just spent almost two hours cleaning the grooves around the pool of the accumulated dried soil but have run out of puff and time. There's really only the last curve in front of the large flat rock to finish off and the slope into the shallower area to the right of the cairn although I have already given the grooves their first sweep out with wire and hard brush. Examples of tools I had are in the picture but I really needed something larger to shift back the clump of fern and brambles.
Sunday 23rd July - photos by Linda Morris
The pool was left under tarpaulin this afternoon after draining and drying - again! The intention was to prepare it for the fibreglassing to be done tomorrow but it has been cancelled because of forecast rain.
The photo on the left shows Linda & Jim finishing off the pool edge before the tarpaulin was laid.
Thanks to Neale, Jim, John and Linda for their work today.
The tarpaulin was removed on Monday as the fibreglassing will not now be done until the start of August.
Tuesday 1st August - photos by Rosalyn Heaton & John Zareba
Mick Armstrong and his team from Fab fencing came to erect a fence around the pool. They met the supplier at the car park and loaded all the posts, gate and fencing into Mick's vehicle which then went round to the Vincent Avenue gate for easier access to Linden Glade.
Recent rain had softened the ground so the insertion of the posts went smoothly.
At the end of the day the gate was taken away to provide easy access for the fibreglassing. It will be rehung when the pool lining is complete.
The whole area within the fence will be landscaped after the pool is completed.
Photo above shows the work in progress and the others (taken on 2/8/23) show the completed fence - still affording a clear view of the pool area. The gate was taken away temporarily to allow maximum access for the fibreglassing work.
15th & 16th August
On Tuesday 15th August Linda welcomed the Oliver Connolly & the GoWild Outreach team to help with clearing out the pond ready for the fibreglassing.
We are grateful to them not only for the baling out and sweeping but also for pulling the trolley laden with donated rockery stones and for the collection of small stones ready for the ballast needed when resetting the rocks around the edge.
Later the Zarebas swept up the last of the dried mud and dried the surface with blowers.
On Wednesday 16th The contractor came to coat the pool service with fibreglass.
Tuesday 15th August - preparing the surface
Wednesday 16th August - fibreglass coating
Saturday 19th August - pool starting to fill
On Friday 18th August Mick refitted the gate. There was heavy rain overnight and the photo below left shows the water level on Saturday morning. The photo below right shows the first visitor to the new pool - a Common Toad on top of the cairn. A small frog was also seen in the undergrowth and a couple of dragonflies were hovering over the water.
Sunday 20th August - pool filling
On Saturday and Sunday water was added to the pool. The photo below left shows the final full pool. The close-up on the right shows that something has been in and left a trace in the sediment, possibly the frog which was spotted yesterday or possibly a newt. Dragonflies were seen hovering over the pool again.
Wednesday 13th - Friday 15th September - pool edging
A group of our workers went to work on the pool edging on Wednesday. Sand (22 bags) and cement (7 bags) had already been delivered to Linden Glade on 6th September by Woodside Timber and stored inside the fence covered with tarpaulins. Photos (top) show the pool before the work.
Wednesday 13th /Thursday 14th Work and result
On Wednesday the team placed all the edging stones ready for cementing in. On Thursday they mixed the concrete and set all the stones more or less as placed on Wednesday. They left a few access areas around the edges for frogs and newts etc.to use. There are plenty of areas where soil can be placed or fill naturally with time, allowing plants to blend the outlines of the stones.
Friday 15th Work and result
On Friday the team repaired the cairn and added more sand and cement around the pool edges. They also added some sand into the base of the pool which is recommended for some aquatic creatures. The pool has been heavily disturbed but will settle and establish now. It was another days hard work and they packed up about 4pm again. There is quite a lot of sand left over but FSW will probably use this to fill some of the muddy puddles around the area.
On Saturday 30th September Neale added a large dog bowl to the outside of the fence in response to requests from many dog walkers for a drinking bowl in Linden Glade. A photo of it was pasted on FB with an invitation to walkers to refill it when passing carrying water bottles.
