How do I "Make Safe" an allotment pond?

[Beanie]

Hi all,

The 'Elf N Safety team at my allotments have issued a polite notice asking everyone to 'make safe' all open water on their plots, as there is a risk people - especially children - could fall in & drown.

Fair enough.

I have two open baths, that I use as rain butts, plus a 6 foot square wildlife pond. Any suggestions for how to make them 'safe'? Has anyone else been issued with a similar request?

I'm thinking that fencing them off won't be enough - children are experts at climbing fences, & falling in ponds. So I'm guessing a metal or strong wooden grille will be required for the pond, & something similar for the baths (the only way they fill up is from rain falling directly into them - we're not allowed sheds or other structures so I can't use a conventional butt & collect water from a shed roof).
But metal grills sound horribly expensive. Does anyone have any other, cheaper suggestions? (and yes I've tried asking for old gates & fences on Freecycle!)

For the moment I've just pulled the plugs out the baths until I've come up with a more water-saving solution!

Cheers,
Beanie.

[BrideXIII]

well i have to be honest, old gates is a pretty good idea, sorry you have had trouble getting hold of some. could you rig up somehting using old pallets? they are free however ugly and would help you meet requirements whilst trying to get hold of some old wrought iron gates?

[Beanie]

Good suggestion, BrideXIII - thank you. I could use pallets for the baths - they'd let the rain in OK, and it doesn't really matter about those being 'ugly' especially as one is situated next to the compo bins, which are also made of old pallets!
I did have one thought for the pond - I could contact some local builders & see if they were getting rid of those big wire mesh panels they use to fence off dangerous areas . . . .

[Snadger]

Re-inforcing bar thats used to re-inforce concrete has a fairly open 'mesh', is strong enough to walk on and isn't too obtrusive methinks. I know, I've just scrounged some to make some permanent tall pea supports!

PS I'm suggesting covering rather than fencing off!

[Two_Sheds]

At first I thought, oh what next, fence off the sea?

then I thought a bit more, and although I think children should be under control and not wandering over the allotments, I would not forgive myself if a kiddie drowned in my pond.

What I have done (my pond is a plastic bin sunk in the ground) is to erect a teepee of canes all around it, to grow sweet peas up. You could do this around a bath, and it would look much nicer than pallets.

[tamsin]

We have a wooden frame covered with thick plastic mesh (about 1cm square) over our water butt - you could use wire mesh instead. As long as the frame supports are quite close together (about 12") it will support quite a bit of weight. A child should be fine and it's a favourite place for the cats to nap on top of. Ours passes an Ofsted child safety inspection - ours is padlocked shut too.

With the pond it depends, you could do the same but raise it 2" to let frogs etc. crawl under. Leave part uncovered but fill with pebbles to allow birds somewhere to drink. Not as visually appealing as a grill at water level though

[Polly Fouracre]

Good suggestion, BrideXIII - thank you. I could use pallets for the baths - they'd let the rain in OK, and it doesn't really matter about those being 'ugly' especially as one is situated next to the compo bins, which are also made of old pallets!
I did have one thought for the pond - I could contact some local builders & see if they were getting rid of those big wire mesh panels they use to fence off dangerous areas . . . .

If you can't find a friendly builder/construction site you often see them at re-cycling centres.

[Beanie]

At first I thought, oh what next, fence off the sea?

Sad but true. I was chatting to various members of the committee, & they said it's not actually the children that cause the problems: it's the drunken idiots that wander around, fall over & then sue you for £5 million because they've broken a fingernail . . . .

I like the idea of the pea wigwam though - sounds very pretty!