# Liverpool's "NEW" Festival Gardens Site - December - 2011 -



## georgie (Dec 28, 2011)

*id explored this place many times in the past when the whole place was a derelict site, the most recent being back in may/april of 2009.*

*some brief history can be found in kevsy21's old report*

[ame]http://www.derelictplaces.co.uk/main/showthread.php?t=14153[/ame]


*
anyway as some people will know part of this has been under restoration for a while now and the openeing delayed for nearly a year due to the original contracters (mayfield) going into administration.*


*heres some news on the gardens from the bbc website, from back in july 2011.*

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-merseyside-14203866
*
"The reopening of Liverpool's Festival Gardens has been postponed after the main contractor went into administration.

Mayfield Construction was close to completing the multimillion-pound restoration of the waterfront site.

It is hoped a new contractor will be able to finish the work on the gardens in time for them to open in September.

Owner Langtree is renovating the site, which fell into into disrepair after changing hands several times.

Langtree has drafted in temporary maintenance staff until a new contractor is appointed.
'Lose money'

"We are sad that Mayfield has found itself in this predicament having almost completed the works necessary at the site," said Langtree managing director John Downes.

"Good people have lost their jobs, the opening date for the gardens will unfortunately be delayed and we, like a number of other companies, are likely to lose money as a result of Mayfield's collapse."

Mayfield went into administration on 8 July.

More than three million people visited the site in south Liverpool after its official opening by the Queen in 1984.

The 1984 International Garden Festival was billed as a "five-month pageant of horticultural excellence and spectacular entertainment".

It contained more than 60 individual gardens, a Festival Hall, public pavilions and miniature railway.

Restoration work costing £3.7m, funded by the former North West Development Agency, began in February 2010.

It had been hoped the gardens would be ready to reopen this month.*


*and some recent news regarding the gardens, also taken from the bbc website,from the 23rd december 2011.*

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-merseyside-16312779


*"Liverpool's International Garden Festival site is expected to re-open in the spring after a seven-month delay, developers Langtree have said.

The Festival Gardens park was due to open in July but the main contractor working on the development, Mayfield Construction, went into administration.

The waterfront site hosted the garden festival for five months in 1984.

The redevelopment project has restored the site's Chinese pagodas, Japanese gardens and water features.

When opened the park will be managed by the Land Trust.
'Horticultural excellence'

Steve Barnes, of Langtree, said: "We want it to be perfect and it is going to take a little longer, but it is worth getting right.

"There are seven water features on site and most of them flow from one to the other through a system of pumps and wheels so it's quite a complicated system to get right.

"What is important is that the park when it is open is something which the public and we can be proud of."

More than three million people visited the 1984 International Garden Festival which was billed as a "five-month pageant of horticultural excellence and spectacular entertainment".

Built on a former refuse dump it contained more than 60 individual gardens from countries around the world, a Festival Hall, public pavilions and miniature railway.

The site has been derelict since 1997 when Pleasure Island, a leisure and entertainment facility that occupied the site, closed.

Restoration work costing £3.7m, funded by the former North West Development Agency, began in February 2010.

Part of the site is due to be developed into residential property."*

*
me and kevsy21 was in the area and decided to check this place out,and i must say im very impressed with the work that has been done in here i almost didnt recognize the place, a nice little mooch and a little game of avoid security for good measure.

so if youve been driving past this place wondering what its like inside or just local to the area....heres what it looks like.

visited with kevsy21

we kicked things off with a look at the derelict part, this part is due for residential redevelopment.....when this is due to happen i dont know.*

*the old go kart track still remains,and veiwing area*






*it was quite sad to see the dragon slide had been chopped in half...leaving only the head*




*
the old bumper boat lake still remained and still fackin stunk *




*
after a short while we was greeted by newness.... ladies and gentlemen i give you the "Festival Gardens 2011"*




*
this was a great sight to see....it was only a few yrs ago it was a crumbling wreck....they certainley have done a good job on this.*

















*
i cant remember if this was ever an original feature of this pagoda or is its been recently added....however i found it quite stunning.*





*not forgetting the upper pagoda*




*
meanwhile heres a few paths*








*the original sign from 1984 opening of the gardens now bears langtree's name....the last time i seen this it was covered with bushes and overgrown weeds.(for a closer look check out my old report)*




*
the old waterfall and lake fully restored....well kind of*




*
an original sculpture from the old gardens (im pretty sure this has been moved from its original spot)*





*its certainley been a bridge over troubled waters......this is all new*










*a bit of a childs play area*




*
2 big massive stairways have been installed.*












*
more partly restored features on the opposite side...im sure these had an indian theme to them....although i could be wrong*







*
we was here!!!!*





*more open spaces*










*new lovely stone wall features have also been installed*




*
the site of the derelict part up for redevelopment*

















*"happy new year"*​


----------



## kevsy21 (Dec 28, 2011)

Good pics m8,hopefully this site will reopen one day after the great restoration work done.It was a pleasure to see it before the general public.


----------



## georgie (Dec 28, 2011)

It was a pleasure to be one of the first people in here and good to see it restored

Cheets mate


----------



## joanna3 (Jan 7, 2012)

wow this looks amazing now,thank you i always drive past here an wonder what its like now


----------



## georgie (Jan 8, 2012)

joanna3 said:


> wow this looks amazing now,thank you i always drive past here an wonder what its like now



Cheers im glad someone can get some use from these pics


----------



## Foxylady (Jan 10, 2012)

It's really good to see the restoration work. I must admit that I love derelict gardens and parks, as they've got that bit of 'secret garden' magic to them, but it's nice to know that it's going to be used again and not just another new-build site.
Nice work guys.


----------

