Hemel Hempstead park path set to reopen after safety concerns and local frustration

Gadebridge Park reopens to the public this weekend. Since late 2025, a path at Gadebridge Park has been shut off from the public. It was reported to the council after walkers found the path to be unsafe and warned that someone could be seriously injured using the route.

However, since the council took the precautionary step in December of last year to shut the slippery area, residents have been frustrated with the lack of updates from the authority and the length of time the path has been closed for.

With summer approaching, multiple residents contacted the Gazette asking for more scrutiny regarding the closure. They also wondered how expensive the repair works had been and how much taxpayers’ money had gone towards solving an instantly problematic development.

Further frustration has been expressed by residents on social media groups as the path was developed as part of a wider much-vaunted re-routing of the River Gade.

This scheme to reconnect a stretch of the historic river was celebrated as a ‘landmark’ milestone for the council and the Environment Agency.

Dacorum Borough Council says it responded ‘appropriately’ to the safety concerns it received from residents. A spokesperson told the Gazette: “We responded appropriately by closing the path and worked to improve drainage. We are actively monitoring its effectiveness and will undertake additional work if needed.”

While residents are welcoming the reopening, some have questioned why a temporary closure would take so long to correct. One source noted that the path had to be closed “shortly after it opened” and is concerned about whether it will hold up when Hemel Hempstead next experiences wet spells.

They said: “It’s good to see work finally underway, but residents will want reassurance that this has been properly addressed and the path won’t be unusable again in wet weather.

“There are still important questions around why the original surface failed so quickly, why there has been no communication despite the council stating they would “provide an update on the progress of the works as soon as possible”, whether the correct materials are now being used, and whether this will result in additional cost to taxpayers.”

Despite some social media commenters comparing the materials used for the path to ‘quicksand’ the council has defended its approach to developing the path during its wider project. A spokesperson added: “As the river was settling into its new course, the movement of the surrounding ground and surface water was changing in a way it could not have been predicted, and we had to respond to localised changes, coupled with unprecedented level of rain.

“The material selected is widely used and meets standards for natural paths and was chosen to protect the new river and habitats.”

Reports of people struggling to walk through the newly-opened path were sent to the council and people were also seen falling on the surface. Dacorum Borough Council previously said that the path was developed using materials that were ‘as natural as possible’.

This was done to avoid pollutants entering the historic river, the council said.