It was once a mecca for families and tourists alike
The fenced off pond in Civic Square(Image: Will Telford, Plymouth Live)
A model boat club in Plymouth says it is tired of the “same words and no action” from Plymouth City Council as the pond outside the Civic Centre remains empty and unrepaired after nearly two years.
The site of model boats bobbing about on the large pond in Civic Square every Sunday has been an attraction for visitors, families and model boat enthusiasts for nearly half a century but the pond was drained and fenced off in October 2024 after it developed a leak and not much has happened since.
The grade II listed pond now looks an “eyesore” according to Plymouth City Councillor Patrick Nicholson (Ind, Plympton St Mary) who asked the Labour administration this week if it was going to remain that way for “decades”.
At a full council meeting on Monday he said unfortunately the boat club now had to go to Millbrook in Cornwall after a long tradition of using the Plymouth pond and he called for an assurance that something was being done.
Cllr Matt Smith (Lab, Compton), the council’s cabinet member for city centre regeneration, agreed that it was “frustrating” that it had been that way for so long but said: “I promise you it will not be an eyesore for decades to come”.
The Civic Square pond was used by the Plymouth Model Boat Club for decades(Image: Plymouth Model Boat Club)
He said the pond repairs would now come under the £50 million revamp of the Civic Centre which people would start to see progress on in the autumn.
“We have commissioned a report on what work needs to be done on ponds so we can get on with it as quickly as possible. We should be able to give some timings very, very soon.”
He said there would be an update at the council’s natural infrastructure and growth scrutiny panel on July 16.
But chairman of the Plymouth Model Boat Club Ron Fry claimed the council had been doing surveys on the pond for two years.
“We are sick of hearing about surveys, we get the same answer every time and it’s just prolonging the repair. They know what is wrong with it and the pump system is really old too.
Boats bobbing about on the Civic Square pond before it was emptied and closed off(Image: Plymouth Model Boat Club)
“We are starting to lose club members as some are joining Exeter. We meet at a big lake at Millbrook once a month but the wind flows through the valley there and it’s very weather dependent.”
Mr Fry said the 40-strong club provided good business for the cafe in Civic Square and was an attraction for tourists coming off the cruise ships.
“Families also really enjoy it and we let the children have a go sailing the boats. Now all we have is hoarding on one side and an empty, disgusting pool on the other.”
The pond was due to be given a makeover as part of an upgrade for Civic Square in 2022 after £3 million of government and heritage funding was awarded but other work took priority.