It has taken just under a year to get Warrior Square Gardens back into public use after Southern Water completed their work. Now, the gardens are not only back in use, they are positively blooming!
When Southern Water entered the site in 1997, they immediately removed all the topsoil and put concrete over the top of the southernmost gardens, in readiness for their work to build the massive storm water tunnel under the town.
The Council and Southern Water struck a deal that the water company would effectively pay a `rent' for the time that they were on the site which would enable the Council to reinstate the garden once work was completed.
So, the plans were drawn up for the reinstatement and improvement of the southernmost gardens, and then it was just a case of waiting for Southern Water to finish at the site.
However, once Southern Water had left, things did not quite go to plan! From September last year, Hastings & St Leonards was battered by high winds and heavy rain which held up the re-planting and turfing works that were due to be completed by Easter. In fact, almost a metre of rain fell in seven months - twice the average amount in previous years - and winds gusted up to 64mph!
But putting in plants and grass were not the only things that were done to the garden. It was redesigned to improve access and to allow for more seating and a new footpath now runs from the south side of the garden straight through to the north side. There are more benches, and the statue of Queen Victoria has been cleaned, surrounded by new paving stones and at night is lit up by spotlights. There are also plans to put a plaque in the paving in front of the statue.
The rest of the gardens in Warrior Square have also had a facelift. Extensive repairs have been carried out on the sandstone walls and on the railings surrounding the park. The Victorian railings were sandblasted, repaired and then repainted dark green.
Some of the beds at the rear and to the side of the garden have been redesigned in keeping with the original plans from 1870.
Councillor Trevor Webb, Cabinet Member responsible for Quality of Life, said:
"The Council has worked together with members of the residents association in Warrior Square to improve a much valued open space."
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This page last updated: 15/10/2001