Storm blows up over dam peril

SAILING enthusiasts today pledged to fight the possible closure of one of South Yorkshire's most popular leisure spots.

Rotherham Council is expected to decide whether to shut Ulley reservoir and country park permanently on safety grounds in the next few weeks.

During the June deluge, part of the dam wall began crumbling and threatened to wash away part of the M1 and a main electricity substation - and exacerbate flooding in the Don Valley towards Doncaster.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

Since, then the park has remained closed to people who use it for sailing, fishing and other water sports, while engineers carry out inspections.

The Friends of Ulley Park group has launched a petition calling on the council to carry out safety work and reopen it to users.

Today the 100-member Ulley Sailing Club said it would back any moves to keep the park open, saying that permanent closure would be a big blow.

Commodore Rosalie Hill said: “It would be the end of the club as we know it. It would be a blow and we would have to think very carefully about the situation. We would have to join another club or look for some other facility; at the moment there is no ideal place.”

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

During the temporary closure, the club has been using Morehall Reservoir, near Stocksbridge, and was offered help by other clubs.

One is the sailing club at nearby Harthill Reservoir.

But it doesn’t have enough berths for all the Ulley members, and the sailing area is not as big.

Dr Hill added: “We have no clubhouse at the moment either, which is having a financial impact, as well as everything else. We can’t attract new members and we can’t make a profit. We have had to put both our licences on hold.”

Rotherham Council carried out repairs to the dam wall at Ulley and prevented what could have been a major disaster. But the wall is still being examined by engineers and safety experts to see whether it will remain safe long term.

The council expects a report about Ulley to go before members in about three weeks, when a decision will be made.