A thorough consultation exercise showed widespread support for these ideas, along with interest in extreme or alternative sports such as skateboarding, rock climbing, mountain biking, adventure play and water recreation.

Parkwood includes potentially one of the most beautiful stretches of the River Don. It is ideal as a teaching and development base for canoeing and other water sports, extending activities from other parts of the Don. Existing unused historic buildings could be developed to provide supporting facilities. The springs from which the site gets its name could be improved to encourage wildlife.

Developments which include expansion of the ski village, a visitors’ centre and alternative energy production could result in the creation of educational facilities and jobs.
The view of Parkwood’s vast, scarred landscape, visible across much of the city, could be transformed by areas of colourful crop planting.

The Vision Plan’s ideas are in stark contrast to the current state of Parkwood: neglected and blighted by flytipping and the landfill site – expected to continue in operation for the next 20–25 years (see Invitation to a Public Meeting; Parkwood Landfill Site
Health Impact Assessment Study).

But Parkwood Springs also offers a unique opportunity to Sheffield – an opportunity to transform it into a special place that local people, the city and the region can be proud of.

The Report summarises its aims: to transform the site into a place beyond belief.

The full report will be available in local libraries. Local organisations are about to implement immediate improvements to paths, access points, streams and areas used for illegal tipping.

For more information contact Parkwood Springs Steering Group through Sheffield Wildlife Trust, 37 Stafford Road S2 2SF.

Tel: 263 4335

www.wildlifetrust.org.uk/sheffield/

The full report is available here for download as an Adobe Acrobat file. Download times may vary depending on your connection speed. Full Report (6.75MB)