Birmingham Friends of the Earth Action Briefing Dec 98/Jan 99

Selly Oak Canal Restoration Attracts Mixed Reaction

A large group of volunteers from Waterway Recovery Group, BITM and the Lapal Canal Trust, undertook the first working party on the Dudley No 2 Canal in Birmingham, during the weekend of the 14th and 15th November 1998. Until now, the Lapal Canal Trust has concentrated on a length of disused canal embankment in Leasowes Park Halesowen, with the support of Halesowen Borough Council.

The Dudley No 2 Canal formerly extended from a junction at Selly Oak, crossing Harborne Lane into Selly Oak Park, and continued passing near to the remains of Weoley Castle, to the start of a canal tunnel at California. The Lapal canal tunnel took a line below the Birmingham City boundary.

The canal volunteers directed their first Birmingham efforts at a short length between two bridges within Selly Oak Park. The section had been landscaped many years ago into two ponds and a network of paths and steps. These features had not been maintained for some years and shrubs and trees had taken hold. The original canal towpath and the walled edge of the canal (now in filled) are no longer visible.

Selly Oak Park contains a wide variety of tree types (many of them not native) and is held in great affection by many of the locals. It even has its own supporters group "The Friends" who were consulted on the proposed work by the Lapal Canal Trust. Whilst The Friends are not entirely happy about the loss of the tree-choked hollow, they see some merit in the introduction of water and its associated wildlife.

However, an onlooker viewing the scene was vehement in her opposition describing the clearance as "destroying wildlife habitat which had taken years to become established". The same onlooker decried the residents of Reservoir Road (some distance further along the canal) who "use the old canal as a rubbish dump".

A Lapal Canal Trust member defended the canal restoration as enhancing Birmingham's facilities and being, on balance, good for wildlife. He also confirmed that the Trust intend to plant trees in the park if agreement is reached with Birmingham City Council and the Friends of Selly Oak Park.

Canal clean-up

Birmingham and the Black Country would probably have lost even more of its canals had it not been for the efforts of canal enthusiasts. The local canals, originally built by a number of independent companies, are sufficiently extensive to generate the dubious claim that Birmingham has more miles of canal than Venice. The problem is that some of the canals are not very nice, and much of the network is shallow through neglect. The shallow canals are then used less by boats and tend to clog with weed and fall victim to closure and elimination.

Local volunteer enthusiasts the BCN Society work regularly on canal banks to keep them tidy. Big clean-ups involving removal of dumped material are, however, an annual event. The next one is over the weekend of March 20/21 1999. Accommodation is usually arranged for these renovation events which achieve a great deal. Book ahead by contacting Dave Wedd on 01252 874437. (Note: The activities of canal restoration groups are not necessarily in keeping with Friends of the Earth policy).

John Davison