Sheffield Council puts £380,000 into parks

The council are set to boost at least 11 parks with the new funding, which comes after nine years of cuts to the budget.

Councillor Mary Lea, cabinet member for parks and leisure, said: “We truly value all of our parks and we know how important they are to people who live here. Many people rely on their local park to get out and enjoy family time outdoors and take part in physical activity, but we recognise that some of our parks are in need of improvement and we are working hard bring them up to standard.

“Over the last two years we’ve already carried out improvement work at many of our parks and people in those areas are enjoying the benefits. I am very pleased that despite extreme pressure on our services we are able to deliver these projects that will see our green spaces flourish and our residents getting the most out of our wonderful parks.”

The council looks after more than 800 parks and green spaces. They plan to work together with communities to make the improvements to the 11 chosen for the funding, 10 of which are set to get better recreational facilities.

The money will come from Public Health and Section 106, money from planning developments, funds.

It comes as part of the council’s £1.5 million scheme to improve parks over a three year period, which was announced in 2017. 

The 11 chosen parks include: Lydgate Lane Open Space, Osgathorpe Park, Darnall Community Park, Phillimore Park and Broadfield Road Open Space, Wensley Street Playground, Nottingham Cliff Recreation Ground, Denholme Close Playground, The Ponderosa and Philadelphia Gardens.

Coun Olivia Blake, deputy leader and cabinet member for finance, said: “Sheffield has borne the brunt of austerity for the last nine years, but we are determined to deliver against our values and support preventative interventions to keep people healthy.

“We have been forced to make many difficult choices, but we recognise the important link between high-quality parks and improved physical and mental health and we know that parks are essential, especially to some of our most vulnerable families. Maintaining our green spaces to a high standard will contribute to improving people’s lives, which will have a positive impact on the increasing social care pressures we have to manage.”