Posted: 7 October 2011

The Centennial Park and Moore Park Trust has commenced $1.4 million dollars worth of rehabilitation and restoration work at Kensington Ponds to improve water quality and capacity, and implement pollution and sediment control.

As part of the Centennial Park and Moore Park Trust’s (Trust) Capital Investment Program 2009-2019, the rehabilitation works will be carried out concurrently in several areas around the Ponds.

Major works will include:

• removal of mature weed trees (Willows) around Little Kensington to stop the annual organic build up which contributes to  pond pollution
• removal of aquatic weeds
• dredging of sediment in the Ponds to restore pond depth and improve storm water filtration capacity
• installation of a gross pollutant trap (GPT) at Kensington West to reduce  litter and sediment entering the ponds through the storm water system
• construction of a stilling basin at Kensington West (northern inlet) to allow sediment to be captured before entering the pond
• rebuilding some areas of the pond embankments to stabilise the banks and stop erosion
• repairs to the existing pedestrian bridge to improve public safety.

Benefits of the project include:

• reducing the likelihood of polluted waterways for public health and safety and reducing the risk of blue-green algae occurring in the Parklands ponds during the warmer months of the year
• ensuring improved water quality and pond ecology, as Centennial Parklands irrigation is drawn from the Kensington Ponds water supply
• protecting the environment, particularly downstream areas such as the Botany Wetlands
• improve aesthetics, with reduced litter in the main body of the Ponds, and
• less accumulation of sediment at bottom of the Ponds affecting groundwater and water holding capacity.

Please note that the Kensington Ponds pedestrian bridge will be closed for a short duration while the repairs are being carried out. These dates will be advised closer to the time once they are scheduled with the contractors.

Sections around Kensington Ponds and the Ponds’ edges have been fenced and restricted for public safety reasons. There will be trucks coming in and out of the construction site throughout the project period so please take care if you are in the area and use alternate routes provided. Access to all other ponds in the Park will be unchanged and will provide ample opportunities for passive recreation to continue while the Kensington Pond works are underway.

All work at Kensington Ponds is expected to be finalised by December 2011 (weather permitting).

We apologise for any inconvenience during these important works.

This project is part of the Capital Investment Program 2009–13, jointly funded by the Centennial Park and Moore Park Trust and NSW Treasury.