Seaton Slalom - Postponement to 6th-7th October

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Seedy Paddler
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Joined: Wed May 26, 2004 2:00 pm

Seaton Slalom - Postponement to 6th-7th October

Post by Seedy Paddler » Tue Apr 24, 2018 10:39 am

Ladies & Gentlemen

As you may be aware Aberdeen Kayak Club has been running a fairly long term project to repair and re-inforce the river banks at the site of the Seaton Slalom training and competition venue. This has involved a lot of fund raising activity and grant/financial applications and support. Thankfully the project is moving to completion and after various delays, restrictions etc to accommodate the love life of fish, birds, otters, plants and trees, site works commenced beginning of April. As may be expected the Contractors have come across a couple of issues during construction to date but currently progress is such that principal construction works should be finished at site by the planned Seaton Slalom dates in May. However in review of the extent of the soft earth engineering works being undertaken it should be noted that substantial areas of the river bank will remain freshly laid and sown with plant germination at an early stage. We believe that this brings a double risk to the site, with soft earth and steep slopes to river banks footing will be particularly suspect and we face an increased risk from slips, trips and falls with potential for personal injury and potential for bankside personnel to end up in the river. Further with the increased activity associated with an event there is substantial risk to the bedding in process for the live willow splining and sown river bank.

Hence we are proposing to postpone the slalom event in 2018 from scheduled date of 19-20th May to 6-7th October, this will allow the ground works to stabilise and plants to take ensuring optimal conditions underfoot and the success of the project. You may understand that this has involved a lot of Club works in raising the funds to provide a public facility in keeping with a public park, we do not wish to jeopardise that. The long term benefit of stabilised and re-inforced river bank should allow the Seaton training facility to continue for another 40 plus years following the establishment of the early facilities in the mid-1970s.


Regards

Craig Douglas

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