Race against time to fix West Kirby Marine Lake before Wilson Trophy

Mar 25 2009 by Lorna Hughes, Heswall News

CONTRACTORS are facing a race against time to complete £750,000 repairs to West Kirby Marine Lake in time for one of the UK’s biggest team sailing events.

Wirral Council says the lake will be filled in time to host the 60th annual Wilson Trophy in May.

But members of online sailing forums have questioned the timing of the repairs just before Wirral again welcomes the prestigious event.

The repairs follow an engineers’ report last year which said the lake’s outer wall, a spectacular attraction for thousands of walkers over the past century, was crumbling, and that it was only a matter of time before it became too dangerous to allow visitors to continue walking along it.

There were also concerns that rising sea-levels, increasing stormy weather and the increasing age of the outer wall could accelerate the rate of deterioration.

One forum user on the BOARDS website said: “It seems strange as the Wilson Trophy (a prestigious dinghy team racing event attended by crews from the USA, Canada, Ireland, etc), is having its 60th anniversary this year and is scheduled to take place from May 1 until May 3.

“There is no mention of any change of date for the event or any problems with the wall or water levels on the West Kirby S.C. or Wilson Trophy websites.”

A spokesman for Wirral Council said the lake, which has been drained to allow repairs to take place to its wall, would be filled for the Wilson Trophy event in May.

He said: “The lining to the lake wall has been damaged in several locations and works to reline the lake and resurface the outer walkway are now under way.”

He said because of tidal conditions the contractor will be allowed to work 12 hours a day (7am to 7pm) for seven days a week when work areas are available.