Plans to dredge the duck pond at Boscawen Park, Truro

The whole pond was last dredged in 1995 and since then a large amount of silt has built up, reducing the level of water available to the ducks, swans and other wildlife which live there.

Dredging the pond is part of the wider Truro Town Deal funded and City Council led Boscawen Park Sports Hub Project which will provide Truro residents and visitors with new and improved indoor and outdoor sports and leisure facilities.

The duck pond is one of the city's best loved amenities. The city council says with the funding provided by Truro Town Deal it has the opportunity to return it to looking its very best at the same time as significantly improving the habitat for the wildlife which live there.

A tender has been issued for the duck pond project and it is currently waiting for responses from contractors interested in carrying out the dredging, with the aim of work beginning in early November.

"There are a number of potential options for carrying out the dredging" said the city council in a post on Facebook.

"Our top priority is to protect the wildlife living in the pond during the dredging process. Whilst it is important to dredge the pond to remove the silt, we need to ensure that the work does not disrupt the wildlife too much.

"All those submitting tenders are being required to carry out an ecology survey as part of the process.

You can read more about the dredging project HERE

The council says work is also continuing on the development of the wider Boscawen Park Sports Hub project.

The project will provide a new multi-use building with an area for indoor sports activities and new shower and changing facilities, as well as spaces for community and family activities.

A planning application for the scheme is due to be submitted to the local planning authority later this year, with the building expected to open its doors to the local community by March 2026.