Upper Pagoda to be removed to save it from collapse

To protect it from further damage, the Upper Chinese Pagoda at Liverpool Festival Gardens is to be taken down by specialist contractors this month and as many of the components as possible will be stored with a view to possible future re-use.

The pagoda in the Chinese Gardens, which was initially developed as a temporary feature but has been in place for more than 30 years, has recently been affected by ground movement in the mound on which it stands. It has been fenced off for a number of months to protect the public whilst further investigations have taken place. Unfortunately, specialist contractors have now advised Liverpool City Council, who own the site, that to save the Upper Pagoda it should be dismantled to prevent possible collapse.

Councillor Malcolm Kennedy, Liverpool City Council Cabinet member for regeneration, said: “We are taking action to prevent the Chinese Pagoda from damage by removing it and placing it in storage for now. In the longer term we want to transform the Festival Gardens into a unique cultural and visitor destination to extend the city’s current theatrical, musical and public art facilities. We’re currently in discussions with a number of partners to work up plans, and more details will be announced when we are in a position to do so.”

Contractors will arrive at Festival Gardens this week to carefully deconstruct the structure by hand using an elevated platform. It is anticipated that the work will take two weeks to complete. Every effort will be made to keep any disturbance to a minimum.

Visitors can be reassured that the park will remain open during the works and the Tai Chi classes that take place in the nearby larger Chinese Pagoda will be temporarily relocated to the Japanese Gardens on the other side of the water body.

The upper pagoda is one of the last remaining features from of the International Garden Festival held in 1984. Initially developed as a temporary structure for the Chinese Garden at the Festival, it remained neglected on the site for many years. It was refurbished, maintaining as much of the original structure as possible, prior to Festival Gardens reopening to the public.