The Venetian Waterways and Boating Lake have been an integral part of Great Yarmouth’s seafront landscape since their construction in the 1920s. Situated at the northern end of Marine Parade, the Boating Lake was first opened in 1926, followed by the Venetian Waterways in 1928 – designed by S. P. Thompson and built as part of a relief work scheme for the local unemployed after the First World War. 

When complete, the “Waterways” (as they came to be known) covered an area of 4.3 hectares  and contained a concrete winding water course for gondolas, paths through rock gardens, a series of ornamental bridges and several thatched shelters. Their design was commended at the Royal Horticultural Society’s International Exhibition in 1928 – where it was described as being particularly ‘bold’ – and they quickly became popular with locals and tourists alike. 

The park enjoyed continued success from its opening until the 1960s, when a national decline in coastal tourism led to dwindling visitor numbers and the park’s maintenance consequently suffered. The ornate gardens were laid to grass, and the site was closed to the public in 2011.