Safety plan reveals that Otley river fence will be put up in the spring (From Wharfedale Observer)

Safety plan reveals that Otley river fence will be put up in the spring

1:16pm Thursday 8th February 2007

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SAFETY measures for Otley's Wharfmeadows Park costing £165,00 could be in place this Spring.

A 1.1 metre high, anti-climb fence from Otley Bridge to the children's play area, a lower grade fence to the tennis courts and more warning signs are all likely to be adopted tomorrow by Leeds City Council's Executive Board.

“The report is going to the executive board and after that I am going to the town council to explain what we are going to do."

Sean Flesher, Leeds City Council’s principal parks manager

The council has also estimated that it will need to spend £1.3m over the next two to three years at 65 other public sites with water.

They include such popular spots as Chevin Forest Park, Otley, Golden Acre Park, Bramhope, Horsforth Hall Park, Nunroyd Park, Guiseley and Yeadon Tarn.

The council estimates that an average of £20,000 per sitewill need to be spent on improving safety.

The recommendations for Wharfe-meadows Park include suggestions that the park be closed in times of flood and that organisers of the New Year's Day swim be required to put together a full risk assessment.

It also suggests that lockable gates be installed along the length of the fencing to allow anglers to gain access and that a programme of water safety education be launched in schools and for all those - including anglers - who use the river.

Sean Flesher, Leeds City Council's principal parks manager, said following tomorrow's meeting he would be arranging a meeting with Otley Town Council as soon as possible to discuss the safety measures and what options were available.

He added an exhibition would also be set up in the town for members of the public to see what was being proposed and to ask questions.

But he stressed that the safety measures were long overdue and would go ahead - although the style of fencing was open to negotiation.

"We will be putting up an anti-climb fence from the bridge down to the beginning of the play area.

"The report is going to the executive board and after that I am going to the town council to explain what we are going to do. There will also be an evening for the members of the public. They will be able to see why we are doing it and what we are going to do.

"It will go ahead, but what we want to speak to people about is the style of fencing. There are different types of anti-climb fencing and some are quite ornamental, it won't look out of character in the park."

Mr Flesher added that when the river was in spate, it was a dangerous place to be. "When the river was right up recently, there were kids standing with one foot on the edge of the river.

"It is quite frightening when you see it and there is a potential risk there. Once a fence is there people will be able to see where the bank actually is - which you can't when the river is in flood.

"It is something that has been required for quite a while." But he added the council had no wish to prevent special riverside events such as the New Year's Day swim and he had not given up on the re-instatement of pleasure boats in the park.

"We are not suggesting that the New Year's Day dip be cancelled. But they will have to get permission.

"They will also have to have an appropriate risk assessment in place and liability insurance."

He added that anglers would be given locked, gated access to the river with keys supplied to the angling association.

"There will be water safety advice on the back of the angler's tickets and access points in the fence."

Mr Flesher said he hoped to meet with the town council as soon as possible and to have the public exhibition soon after that. Once the public consultations were over, he planned that the safety measures would go up as soon as possible in the spring.

The report also includes suggestions that overhanging branches be cleared at Tittybottle Park on the opposite bank of the River Wharfe because they act as a magnet to children to climb over the water' and that a safety point be installed at Manor Garth Park.

Safety recommendations in the report come from the Royal Society for the Prevention of Accidents (RoSPA) which was called in by the council following the deaths last year of two boys in the lake at Roundhay Park when the council was criticised by the inquest coroner.

Mr Flesher added that the cost of the safety improvements would not come out of a £350,000 investment into the improvement of facilities at Wharfemeadows Park.

"The park is going to benefit from investment and we shall be wanting to talk to people about how they it improving.

"We want to refurbish the tennis courts and put them where the skate park is. The skate park will move to where the tennis courts are and we want to have some new ramps and make it more challenging.

"We plan to refurbish the children's play area. We shall also be putting up a new fence at the bowling green."

Recommendations for Wharfemeadows Park include:

• 1.1 metre high fencing to directly deny access from Otley Bridge to the children's play area.

• Drop gates across Holbeck and warning signs.

• urban bow top fencing from café to tennis courts, plus signs.

• gated, locked access for fishermen.

• staff trained in methods of rescue.

• special events risk assessment for New Year's Day swim
• development of procedure to close the park in times of flood.

• Staff working on their own should be equipped with throw lines and radios.

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