First chance to wander the revamped paths of Yarmouth’s historic Waterways

The historic Waterways is re-opening on Easter Sunday with a range of family events and the Great Yarmouth duck race Picture: GYBC (Image: GYBC)

The winding rivers which have been closed since June last year are celebrating with a range of family events on Easter Sunday including an egg hunt, Punch and Judy show, and Easter bonnet parade.

The major revamp, led by Great Yarmouth Borough Council and supported by The National Lottery, has seen landscapers trying to emulate its original flowering scheme and animal figureheads restored.In a bid to show off all that has been achieved visitors will find more reasons to visit on Sunday April 21 with an Easter adventure trail, from 11am to 2pm, and an Easter bonnet parade at 1pm for a chance to win family day out passes.

They will be followed at 2pm by the Duck Race, organised by the Great Yarmouth Haven Rotary Club.

As part of this free community event, there will also be a host of other fun crafts and activities, plus the chance to watch a Punch and Judy show from Professor Philips, of Dandini Puppets, between 11.30am and 12.30pm.

Anne Hacon, 69, from Caister has been helping out with the planting at the Waterways. Picture: Joe Norton (Image: Archant)

Kate Watts, strategic director at the borough council, said: “The re-opening of the Waterways site is an exciting and major milestone in the ongoing restoration.

“Following completion of the major structural repairs, the site can re-open and volunteers will continue the ongoing restoration over the coming years.

“The Easter activities are a fun way for residents and visitors to re-discover the Waterways and to celebrate the exciting and significant work completed so far by contractors with the help of our volunteers.

“While work remains underway, the attraction will only get better as the restoration continues and the Boating Lake and Island Café open, with people once again able to go out on the Boating Lake in rowing boats and pedloes.”

Kelvin Thatcher, conservator, and Clare Southern, volunteer, at work on the figureheads originally on one of the boats on the Waterways at Great Yarmouth, being restored to be displayed at the Waterways when work has been completed. Picture: DENISE BRADLEY (Image: Copyright: Archant 2019)

The restoration has been funded by a £1.7m National Lottery grant awarded through The National Lottery Heritage Fund and The National Lottery Community Fund, plus further support from the borough council, New Anglia LEP and the Government. In addition, approximately 78 people have so far contributed a collective total of 1,290 volunteer hours towards the project.

Great Yarmouth Borough Council is set to restore the historic Venetian Waterways on the seafront.Graham Plant helps launch the £1.7m project.Picture: Nick Butcher (Image: Archant © 2018)