How do you refurbish a cheap gazebo with a galvanised steel roof? From the Walsall Express & Star, Monday, 27th December 2010.
I notice the good folks at the Express & Star still seem to be having trouble with accuracy on their local patch. This puff piece, pointlessly punted for Walsall Council’s Arboretum revamp project would be fine if the hapless hack who compiled it knew anything about the park he was covering. That isn’t the Arboretum bandstand, but a cheap gimcrack galvanised gazebo, which was, if I recall correctly donated by South Staffordshire Waterworks Co. sometime around the late eighties or early nineties; their logo and associated dates can be seen in the block paving forming it’s base. The bandstand itself is a rather more noble, handsome affair, and cannot be missed by any visitor spending more than five minutes in the delightful park.
Interestingly, Walsall Council themselves seem to have trouble identifying the structure in question, too.
The gazebo featured in the article is actually scheduled for removal in the regeneration plan, which states:
Clock Tower Entrance Green Gazebo- the removal of the modern gazebo will improve views into the park and of the historic fountain (due to be restored)
To aid with any future Express & Star forays into the wilds of Walsall’s central green lung, that wonderful Walsall photographer tonym666 has taken an illustrative photo of the period edifice and posted it on Flickr. I do hope they refurbish the lovely terrace seating opposite… I spent several sunny afternoons watching bands play there as a youth.
The real Arboretum bandstand by tonym666 on Flickr.
Oh, and by the way: I noticed the feature in tonight’s rag about photographing Rugeley Power Station at night. I’ve been featuring pictures of that on Panoramio and on the blog for a while now, you only had to ask…