Community meeting aims to restore 222 year old aqueduct
Telford & Wrekin Council is holding a community meeting to look at ways of accessing more than half a million pounds of grant funding to restore a dilapidated 222 year old aqueduct.
The meeting will take place at 7.30pm on Monday 22 September at Dawley Town Hall.
The Sandstone Aqueduct was designed and built by William Reynolds, son of Richard Reynolds – a quaker who took over from Abraham Darby II when he died.
It was constructed in 1792 and formed part of the Shropshire canal, which extends from Wrockwardine Wood to Coalport.
The building is also used as a monument/memorial to soldiers who died in the World Wars. It is Grade II listed.
The meeting is aimed at drumming up local support for the formation of a community group to address the improvements the aqueduct needs.
The ultimate aim is for the group to apply for funding from various sources with the aim of renovating and refurbishing the aqueduct back to its former glory. The total funding required is £550,000.
Councillor Fran Bould, ward member for Dawley, has been campaigning to secure heritage resources for the aqueduct.
“We have been working over the summer to put in place a potential projectr plan to make several bids to funders by the end of 2014, “ said Councillor Bould.
“The meeting next Monday is therefore an important milestone in pulling together community and organisational support to make that happen.”
Dawley Magna ward member Councillor Jane Pinter said: “Our aqueduct is unique in terms of industrial and canal history and we want to make sure that this listed structure is restored.”
