ORGANISATIONS have vowed to work together to clean up Coventry’s canal.
Environmental charity the Living Environment Trust hosted a special cruise along the five-and-a-half mile stretch of waterway in a bid to forge a new partnership to help enhance the area.
Representatives from the Canal & River Trust, Coventry City Council, Coventry Canal Society, Coventry Sports Foundation and Coventry City of Culture 2021 Bid were among those who got on board the charity’s narrowboat – the Coventrian – for a trip down the canal to highlight what could be done to improve the area.
Raffaella Tentindo, from the Living Environment Trust, said she was very pleased with how the event went and is looking forward to working with everyone in the future.
She said: “The trip was an extremely positive start to what will hopefully be an excellent partnership between all of the organisations.
“This stretch of canal hasn’t been maintained as we would all like since the clean-up boat, owned by the Canal & River Trust and operated by the Living Environment Trust on a weekly basis, broke down over a year ago.
“A team of volunteers from Coventry Canal Society have been going out monthly, but usually only from Hawkesbury Junction to Swan Lane Wharf due to timing issues.
“We felt that it was important to bring this to everyone’s attention and create a partnership that could work for the good of the area.
The canal is popular with boaters and considered by many to be a valuable assest for the city.
The plan is now for the Canal & River Trust to source a working boat that can be brought back to the Coventry Canal, in order to reinstate the weekly maintenance regime.
All of the organisations will now work together to promote corporate adoptions of canal sections along the stretch of waterway.
