Eye-catching cafe at pond for young anglers

Young people will use the pond as an outdoor classroom where they can learn how to fish and appreciate and learn about the wildlife around them.

It is being created on the site of a former railway and will also feature a BMX pump track suitable for people with physical difficulties, and nature walks.

The site will also have a floating cafe, which will be built as a showcase for buildings adaptable to flooding, taking inspiration from Holland where many buildings are constructed in this way.

The cafe will be on wetland, on a floating pontoon and will not be at risk from flooding.

It is being created on the site of former rail sidings in Walkley Lane, Heckmondwike, next to a route which runs between Huddersfield and Bradford, currently used by more than 202,000 cyclists a year.

The pond – about the size of a professional football pitch – forms a central part of the ABLE Project, which supports social inclusion by providing guidance, training and employment opportunities to disadvantaged young people.

Pete Turner of the Environment Agency said yesterday: “We’re delighted the plans for this pond are now coming to fruition. The ABLE Project is a fantastic example of how small pots of funding can be brought together for the benefit of the comm- unity.

“Not only is our cash going to create an amazing resource for wildlife, it will be the classroom for scores of young people as they learn to fish and to appreciate the nature around them.

“We’ve spent a long time working with ABLE to get to this point, and it’s great to be able to see work starting.”

The Environment Agency, which aims to improve angling opportunities for the local community, has funded the £60,000 pond as part of the project.

Graham Wiles, ABLE Project manager said: “This is a great example of the community, public and private sectors joining together to make this happen.”

The Environment Agency has supported the ABLE Project on various developments around West Yorkshire with advice and money to help them develop angling facilities.

The ABLE Heckmondwike development is expected to be completed and open to the public by the end of this year. The pond should be ready for use by autumn 2012 for fishing.