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Pedalos - you can't move for 'em
Stanley Park's the latest place for boating weather
Stanley_Park
STANLEY Park is the latest city green space to see its lakes graced with boats for the first time in decades.
The first of a fleet of 12 four-seater pedaloes had their maiden voyage on Sefton Park lake earlier this week. This weekend they make a splash in the north end.
They will be launched as part of a special fun day at the park tomorrow (Saturday). There with also be an inflatable assault course and pedal go-karts.
It is part of a programme to bring more activities and animation into the city’sparks, spearaheaded by the Mayor, Joe Anderson.
The pedaloes will be available for hire during school holidays and at weekends.
Councillor Peter Mitchell, Mayoral Lead on Parks and Open Spaces, said “The pedaloes have proved to be a big hit already at Sefton Park and I am sure theywill be just as successful in Stanley Park.
“The park is one of the great assets of north Liverpool and we want to make sure many more people, take advantage of it by providing as many activities as we can.”
This is a joint initiative between the City Council, Liverpool Watersports Centre run by the charity Local Solutions, Glendale-Liverpool and Liverpool PCT.
Sefton Park lake some time ago
“The last time we had boats on our parks lakes was in the mid-1970s and many people have very fond memories of them, “ said Councillor Mitchell. “In those days we had rowing boats but times have moved on and people are probably more used to pedaloes these days.
“The nation has been gripped by the success of our Olympic rowers and while we don’t expect people to be peddling as fast as them it might encourage people to get out on to their local lake – although in a much more leisurely fashion!”
As well as the pedaloes there are other new ways of getting about the parks. A bicycle hire scheme run by Wheels for All, aimed at people with a physical or learning difficulty and are unable to use conventional bikes, is now in operation at Sefton, Walton Hall and Wavertree Sports parks.
And a new land train, similar to the one at Croxteth Park, will soon be in operation at Sefton Park.
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The next Olympic event: the 200m Pedalo!!!!!!!!!!
“In those days we had rowing boats but times have moved on and people are probably more used to pedaloes these days."
What use is a pedalo when you have to get back to the jetty in time before your time runs out?
Greenbank Park had rowing boats, Sefton Park had both rowing boats and motor boats, all of which were much faster than childish pedaloes!
Happy days when you could hire rowing boats on park lakes - the oars were great for splashing people in other boats - and wonderful that we can get out onto the water again, if only in pedaloes/pedalos. Good to see the use of life-jackets, by the way. "Drowning while texting" would see boat hire banned for another 40 years.
I had assumed the boats had all been vandalised or destroyed in arson attacks around the time the Council disbanded the Parks Police.
Within a few years of that there were further Militant cuts and the Palm House in Sefton Park was systematically destroyed and the statuary stolen.
The old-style rowing boats no longer exist. These are brand new pedalos and, of course, the Palm House has been magnificently restored.
What happened to "the old-style" rowing boats? They were clinker-built in proper wood. They'd be worth a fortune if they were still around.
Life jackets? That'll be the kiss of death. Boating is supposed to pleasurable and relaxed; who will want to wear a hot, uncomfortable and sweaty lifejacket on a warm and pleasant day? It's health and safety gone mad!
In any case the water is only about three feet deep isn't it? It certainly used to be.