Partly due to its lack of use during the war, the boating lake had deteriorated and had now become expensive to maintain. Also, regular dredging operations had to be carried to remove silt. The silt was mainly composed of coal dust and believed to have originated from some
collieries far upstreamcii.

The Council discussed various proposals as to what do with the site. The expense of constructing a new lake, around £30,000, could not be justified. It was realised that if the lake was filled in and the area was to be re-landscaped, it would take at least ten years for the ground to settle before it could be laid out for some other use. In the end, no decision was reachedciii.