NEW activities which aim to attract more young people to the historic Standedge Tunnel canal site have been launched.
The Wild Over Waterways (Wow) resource aims to give young visitors a wealth of information about the Huddersfield Narrow Canal.
Pupils from Marsden Junior School joined Kirklees Mayor Clr Margaret Fearnley to take the relaunched guided trip into Standedge Tunnel in a glass-roofed boat as a preview to the new activities.
Boat trips into the tunnel start again on Good Friday this week.
Janet Baverstock, of British Waterways, Yorkshire said: "We are delighted to welcome the mayor and local school children to open our new season.
"I am sure they will enjoy the boat trip and the Wow activities which aim to bring part of their local history to life."
Standedge Tunnel was re-opened in May 2001 as part of the £32m Huddersfield Narrow Canal restoration project, co-ordinated by the Huddersfield Canal Company partnership.
But the £2m visitor centre closed in the spring last year after it failed to attract the expected numbers of visitors.
For the past year, visitor information has been housed in Tunnel End Cottages, near the tunnel mouth.
A £150,000 makeover of the Marsden site aims to make it one of the North's main tourism destinations.
The revamped visitor centre is due to open this summer.
New activities planned will stretch into October and include the development of a discovery trail, pond dipping - which is checking on the water's living creatures - and family entertainment days.
For more information log on to www.waterscape.com or go to www.wow4water.com
