What future do you see for Chesham's Meades Water Gardens Gazebo?

Chesham Town Council is seeking your views over the future of The Meades Water Gardens Gazebo in Chesham.

Over the last few years the Impress The Chess conservation group has spent many hours imprvoing the Meades Water Gardens.

But, according to Chesham Town Council, there is one building in the Gardens that sticks out like a sore thumb and they would like your views on what to do with it.

The brick structure, known as the Gazebo, was originally a summerhouse located in a garden on the site of what is now St. Mary’s Way.

The late Dr Baines, a former Mayor of Chesham, personally paid for the structure to be relocated to the gardens in 1989 to commemorate the Chesham of previous centuries.

Unfortunately, as the Water Gardens became overgrown and unwelcoming during the 1990s, the Gazebo was extensively vandalised and ultimately burnt out. Since that time it has remained in the Gardens, boarded-up and prone to graffiti.

Impress the Chess would like to change this and have been considering options for the Gazebo’s future.

Below, a number of options are proposed and their estimated costs:

1. Demolish the Gazebo (£1,200)

2. Rebuild the Gazebo in Red Lion St where it will be more visible and so less prone to vandalism (between £3,300 and £4,600)

3. Brick up the windows and door and move the inside plaque to the outside of the Gazebo to provide historical context (estimated between £300 to £500)

4. Put grilles on the window and door (£1,650) and refurbish the burnt out interior (possibly £1000). This will have on-going costs of regular litter removal from the Gazebo.

5. Offer the Gazebo to the Chiltern Open Air Museum

Let Chesham Council know what you think, by phone to 01494 58378, by email or to Kathryn Graves, Chesham Town Hall, Chesham, HP5 1DS by December 20, 2010.

Do you visit Meades Water Gardens? Do you think something should be done to the Gazebo? If so, what is your preferred option out of the five listed above? Do you have another suggestion for improving the Gazebo? Please leave your comments below.