The old Aviary in Thornes Park was rebuilt in 2010 as a joint project between Friends of CHaT Parks and Wakefield Council with the help from Howarth Timber of Doncaster Road and B & Q of Cathedral Retail Park.
The new aviary was opened on 16th November by Ian Deighton, Chairman of the Friends of CHaT Parks Group and Councillor Olivia Rowley,Portfolio Holder for the Environment.
The Friends of CHaT Parks were pleased to welcome children from three local schools to help with the opening of the new Aviary.
Children from The Mount School, Field Lane Methodist School and Lawefield Lane School inspected the new building and said they thought it was a very nice home for the birds.
They were glad to see the birds back in the park after they had been rehoused temporarily to allow the old building to be demolished and the new one built.
The children from The Mount School were especially interested to see the birds which had been bought using money raised in the school by holding a picture competition.
After the ceremony the children made sculptures on the grass using leaves, twigs, stones etc from the park.
Thornes Park’s new Aviary now has an interpretation sign.
The aviary was rebuilt in Novemebr 2010 and the original birds have been joined by several exotic new residents.
Some of the new birds have been donated and some have been bought using money raised by local schools.
Working with the Friends of CHaT Parks Wakefield Council has now erected a bright new sign which describes the birds and gives information on their origins.
The new sign together with the benches repaired and refurbished, with a great deal of help from the students of the Pennine Camphill, make this corner of the Park an even more attractive destination for visitors.
Design Awards for the New Aviary
The Friends of ChaT Parks are very pleased to learn that the new Aviary in Thornes Park has received a Design Award from Wakefield Civic Society.
The Aviary was among several new buildings in the City to be recognised by the Society at the Annual General Meeting last week.
The new Aviary was opened in November last year as a much-needed replacement for a building which had reached the end of its useful life. Children from The Mount J & I, Lawefield Primary and Field Lane Methodist schools helped Councillor Olivia Rowley to perform the opening ceremony.
New birds for the Aviary have been given by several individuals and groups, including the children of The Mount J & I School who held an art competition to raise money to buy some Japanese Quail. The colourful and tuneful new residents are making this corner of the Park once again an attraction for children of all ages.
Picture Competition for the new Aviary
Pictures drawn by the children of Mount School in order to raise money to buy some birds for the new Aviary in Thornes Park.
The money was used to buy some Japanese Quail.
The pictures were displayed in the Sports Hall in the Park on 21st November 2010
