Significant landscaping and improvement works are starting at the Watermans Park which will see the park closed from today (15 November) until March 2022.

The park will be closed, with the exception of the Thames Path, during the work which will include the creation of the westbound cycle track C9, set to pass through the park.

The landscaping and improvement works that will take place include:

• Building space for a cyclepath, as well as hedges, native planting, wildflowers.

• A social area at the west of the park to include a table tennis table.

• A pergola will house outdoor performances and exercise sessions.

• There will be spring bulb planting, wildflower terraces, insect hotels, more seating – some under pergolas.

• The children's play area equipment and features will be upgraded, with a basketball hoop for older children and exercise equipment for adults of all ages.

• Additional tree planting and the restoration of the dilapidated boardwalk.

The Art Nouveau-style arch, with its wind chimes crafted by local children at the western entrance, will remain untouched, and heritage assets such as cast-iron caps from the gas works currently sitting on wooden posts in the river are planned to be saved and displayed in the park.

In June, the Council's parks team and The Friends of Watermans Park committee engaged with two local primary schools – Green Dragon and St. Paul's – to ask their pupils what type of activities they wanted from the park and a public survey was also carried out.

The online survey revealed the favourite equipment in the existing play area was the climbing equipment, with 18 votes out of the 44 responses, closely followed by the multi-play unit, with 16 votes.

The dolphin rocker was deemed unpopular, as half the respondents voted it their least favourite play equipment.

Sliding came up top for play equipment and features that would 'encourage you or your group to benefit from more physical activities in the park', with Rocking coming in last.

Target completion date for the park improvements is 31 March, 2022.

The nearest park is St Pauls Recreation Ground, Albany Road, Brentford, an eight-minute walk from the Watermans Park.