HS2 Ltd is talking to the Hillingdon Outdoor Activity Centre about the costs and logistics of a possible move to Broadwater Lake nearby.
At the same time, it has published plans for a re-working of the lake which the sailors who use it say could make it less suitable to their sport. They also point out that the 3km viaduct across the Colne Valley would badly affect Broadwater Lake as a sailing venue.
Rumours of changes to the lake, on the borough's north-western fringe, were swirling last week.
On Monday, before the Hybrid Bill's details were released, HS2 Ltd said, in response to a question from the Gazette which had been prompted by the rumours, that it would not be used for the dumping of spoil from the Ickenham tunnel.
The rumours held that the spoil would be used to partly fill the lake to create some kind of a wetland and bird sanctuary.
There is no reference at all to Broadwater Lake in the draft environmental statement that was published in May.
Then on Tuesday last week, six days before the Bill was published in Parliament, the Gazette asked: "Please could you [say] if HS2 Ltd is in discussions, either with a third party or internally, about plans for Broadwater Lake, to the north of the Hillingdon Outdoor Activity Centre?"
The question was crucial, because as the activity centre (HOAC) becomes effectively unuseable because of a 3km viaduct that would run through its lake, then Broadwater - despite being very close to the line [see picture] - might prove a viable alternative, as it appeared to be largely unaffected by HS2.
The lake, partly a Site of Special Scientific Interest, is co-managed by the Herts and Middlesex Wildlife Trust (HMWT) and the lake's owner, Lafarge Aggregates, and is home to Broadwater Sailing Club.
HS2 replied, asking for more detail so it could better answer the question.
The Gazette wrote: "There is a rumour HS2 has been in talks ... about producing a bird habitat and wetland at Broadwater Lake.
"This would be achieved by dumping spoil from the tunnelling operations at Ickenham into the lake."
The Gazette also asked HS2 'not to split hairs' in its response but to be honest about any plans it had and that 'if the information is slightly inaccurate, at least admit it is in the ballpark'.
When HS2 responded, on Friday, November 22, its spokesman said: "There will be more details about our proposals for the lake in the hybrid bill/environmental statement that is being published on Monday.
"But I can say now that it is not our plan to dump large amounts of excavated materials in the lake Other methods will will be used to re-use or dispose of the material from the tunnels."
However, when the report was released on Monday, and the lake was shown with a red line jutting into it to form a loop, that indicated - according to the map key - 'land potentially required during construction,' the Gazette again approached HS2 and asked what this signified.
Its response was: "Our environment team have [indicated] the relevant sections in the Environmental Statement.
"We can’t really say more than that at the moment."
Those sections are Volume 2: CFA 7, section 2.2.7, which states: 'An area of ecological mitigation located at the eastern end of Broadwater Lake, approximately 350m east of the [line] and River Colne, to create a series of islands for nesting birds, and a strip of planting to allow the regeneration of willow and alders along the River Colne, on the south-western boundary of Broadwater Lake to mitigate the loss of woodland and provide additional habitat for nesting birds;
And Volume 2: CFA 7, section 7.4.41, which states: 'Several new gravel islands/rafts will be created in the south-eastern corner to provide nesting opportunities for water birds.'
Stewart French, the commodore of Broadwater Sailing Club, said although the islands were in shallow water where club members did not sail, any encroachment of reeds would cause a problem.
"I'm more concerned about the planting along the western side because when you start introducing major reed beds they are quite intrusive and would start to close down our use of the lake," he said.
The sailing club has a lease on part of the lake from Lafarge Aggregates and part of the lake is a bird sanctuary run by HMWT.
HMWT said it was looking at the implications of the EIS and would make a statement in due course, but it is believed to want to make the best of the situation, should the line be built, and improve the lake for wildfowl with help of HS2 if it can.
Mr French questioned the need to intrude on a lake that would not otherwise have been disturbed, with heavy machinery in order to build the nest islands and reed beds, simply because the offer presented itself.
He said the Colne Valley viaduct would also affect sailing conditions on Broadwater Lake, blocking light winds and making stronger breezes unpredictable.
And he said the different ethos of his club compared to that of HOAC would make a site-share impractical.
"We have an 'open lake' and sail all year, and we don't have staff there all year with a safety boat," he said, explaining that members like to be able to turn up and sail at their own risk and using their own safety knowledge, whereas HOAC, because of the large numbers of children it accommodates, would have to be much more managed.
Jeff Creak, the director of HOAC, told the Gazette on Wednesday, November 27 that the need for an area of shore for buildings and storage meant his options were limited.
"The only available option that we have come up with is Broadwater," he said.
"We had a meeting yesterday [with HS2] and we made that very clear.
"We have had a long, hard look and nowhere ticks all the boxes like that."
Which begs the question: why is HS2 still talking to HOAC about a future move and the costs involved, when the artist's impression in the EIS shows the centre apparently happily co-existing with the viaduct?
