The redevelopment of Queen’s Gardens has taken a further step to completion as its third and final pond has now been refurbished. Hull City Council’s £21 million project is entering its final months with the Gardens set to reopen in Spring 2026.
The third pond, located on the eastern end, near Hull College, has undergone a four-week refurbishment following similar refreshes of the two ponds near the Rose Bowl area of the Gardens. With water now much clearer, the refurbishment has revealed a striking blue mosaic unseen for years.
The pond has been emptied, thoroughly cleaned, and fitted with upgraded filters, pumps and a new central fountain to improve the environment for fish, wildfowl, and other pond life. As part of the initial clearance works, all the original fish were safely caught and housed in aerated holding tanks.
Once emptied, the pond underwent a thorough clean-up, revealing an unexpected collection of discarded items including skateboards, scooters, bicycles, bottles, glasses, fishing rods, and even a pair of hair curling tongs. The silt was removed, and overgrown plants and debris were cleared before the pond was carefully inspected to ensure all essential repairs were completed before refilling.
After clearing decades of silt the mosaic was revealed. It dates to the 1960s when the pond was originally designed as a decorative feature, not the rather murky pond it gradually became over time.
The fish have since been reintroduced into the pond. Between the three ponds in the Gardens, more than 600 tonnes of silt have been removed in their respective refurbishments.
The Robert Adams sculpture next to the pond has also been restored as a part of the project. It has been steamed and repointed with a mix of sand, cement and Portland stone mortar.
Councillor Mike Ross, leader of Hull City Council, said: “I know people are eager to see the Gardens fully reopen, but work of this scale and quality takes time. We know that it’s going to be fantastic when people can enjoy the space again.
“These improvements to the ponds are a vital part of making Queen’s Gardens a vibrant and biodiverse space for everyone to enjoy.”
The Queen’s Garden project is one piece of the council’s wider Hull Maritime scheme which seeks to regenerate and embrace areas that were key parts of Hull’s maritime history. It also includes the ongoing refurbishments of the Maritime Museum and the North End Shipyard.
By: Andrew Spence, LDRS
