CARP—The Canal and Riverside Partnership

The Canal and Riverside Partnership was set up to enhance the amenity value of the canal and riverside through Berkhamsted for both citizens and visitors.  We aim to encourage more potential beneficiaries of the waterside facilities to access and to enjoy them. The partnership has been funded jointly between British Waterways, Berkhamsted Town Council and Dacorum Borough Council. A number of other bodies also sit on Carp in an advisory capacity. The Berkhamsted Citizens Association, The Environment Agency, The Middlesex and Herts Wildlife Trust and we are particularly grateful to David Hilling of the Inland Waterways Association.

Carp has recently completed a  £100,000 four-year project to improve the canal and riverside environment in historic Berkhamsted on the Grand Union Canal in Hertfordshire. The project includes  the refurbishment of the towpath, making it accessible to all, including wheelchair users and pushchairs. New seating areas have been installed, 100,000 spring bulbs have been planted, Castle Street Bridge, has been renovated and five traditionally painted canal bridge signs have been erected.

To improve understanding of the canal and its history, eight interpretation panels have been specially created and installed at key points along the canal through Berkhamsted. They feature etched images and written information on cast zinc plates, which can be brass-rubbed by children visiting the canal. The plates are mounted on attractive stone plinths designed to be accessible to children and wheelchair users, as well as adults. The community value and high quality design of the plinths has been recognised by Berkhamsted Citizens Association, which declared the plinths the winner for 2001 in their annual environment award scheme.

Lindy Foster Weinreb
Chairman, Canal and Riverside Partnership

2007 Update
Under the tenure of the last council the work of CARP ceased and work was concentrated on the proposals we made for the River Bulbourne. During this four years the Chiltern Canal Partnership was instigated but renamed The Three Counties Canal Partnership, see the new web site http://www.3countiescanal.co.uk/. Also a great deal of work was embarked upon to save the last wharf in Berkhamsted from residential development—see www.saveourwharf.org.uk.

From now on CARP will once again be meeting on a monthly basis under the chairmanship of Councillor Lindy Foster Weinreb and full information will appear regularly on this web site.

Lindy Foster Weinreb
Chairman, Canal and Riverside Partnership

Berkhamsted Citizens Association

Berkhamsted Town Council

Berkhamsted Youth Council

British Waterways

Dacorum Borough Council

Environment Agency

Groundwork Hertfordshire

Herts and Middlesex Wildlife Trust

LINKS TO OTHER CARP PAGES

CARP References: Meetings—Agenda, Latest Minutes, Minutes Archive 2002–2003, 2004–2005
CARP Special Reports—Japanese Knotweed;
Chairman's Report to Annual Town meeting March2003.
CARP Links: Parliamentary Waterways; Berkhamsted Town Council;