http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/south_yorkshire/4486584.stm

"Plans to create a new park in the centre of Sheffield are being shown to the public.
The proposed site on the hillside to the rear of the station would be linked to the city centre by two new bridges over the rail lines.

Councillor Peter Rippon said: "Sheffield already has a rich heritage of parks but not in the city centre."

He added that the plans will be on display in the Winter Garden until Saturday evening.

"The aim is to create a park which provides lots of opportunities for events, activity and relaxation for people from all over the city and also looks good from across the valley," Mr Rippon said.
"

There is not much notice on this one and a biased questionaire as well.

It would be nice to see but one cynical question comes to mind:

"Why is it that, only after deciding to give away the Park Hill Flats to a private developer, they now decide that taxes should be spent on improving the surroundings?
Thus increasing, even more, the value of the properties to the developer.

Copy of Flyer (http://i2.photobucket.com/albums/y28/cgksheff/Sheffield%20Forum/citypark.jpg)

Good point at the end of your post there cgk, a bit suspicious only now when private money is involved in the area is such a scheme planned.

I'm a bit dubious as to whether this will work or not - a nice yes, but i can see it becoming a bit of a 'black hole' area at night, and even during the day theres not enough activity around it for it to become a popular attraction. Bit too far away from the city centre?

Could work though if its done right.

The point about access is a valid one. If the bus station is too far from the city centre, and the railway station even more so, then why should a park further out that these be contemplated.
I know that the tramlines would present a further obstacle(although given the frequency on this route, only a small one).

This looks a bad idea. Maybe the Council promised to landscape the area when the plans for Park Hill were drawn up?

The text on the other side of the flyer:

IDEAS FOR A SPECTACULAR NEW CITY CENTRE PARK FOR SHEFFIELD
An exhibition and public consultation is being held in the Winter Gardens from 1st to 3rd December on ideas for a major new '21st Century Park' for Sheffield on the prominent hillside overlooking the Sheaf Valley to the rear of the Railway Station. Two spectacular new bridges over the railway will connect the Park into the City Centre. The concept of the Sheaf Valley Park builds on the results of the public consultation carried out by Sheffield First Partnership over the summer in which the people of the City put the 'Green Environment' in a top spot as one of Sheffield's most distinctive assets.

City Centre Parks throughout the world transform the life and image of cities. The renaissance of towns and cities can only be sustained in the long term if our cities become exciting and attractive places in which to live and work. The idea for a spectacular 21st Century Park right in the middle of Sheffield would be a powerful demonstration that we are the greenest major city in the UK and a place where the quality of life is second to none. Sheffield already has a rich heritage of parks, often linked along the river valleys, but these are not really evident in the City Centre. The Peace Gardens has already shown how European quality public spaces can affect the quality of life and business confidence in the City.

The new Sheaf Valley Park could be the centre piece of Sheffield's green network linking Norfolk Park, Monument Gardens and Claywood, through the lower Sheaf Valley below Park Hill to Victoria Quays, the Canal, and the walks along River Don, but also with dramatic routes into the city centre via Sheaf Sq or Tudor Sq. How many cities could offer a two mile walk from a heritage park such as Norfolk Park, through a continuous chain of wonderful open spaces right into a civic space like Peace Gardens? The aim is to create a park which provides lots of opportunities for events, activity and relaxation for people from all over the city, and also looks great from across the valley.

Please visit the exhibition and share your ideas and thoughts about this vision. We want to know whether people support the concept and what other ideas you may have for such a park. Have you seen exciting examples of city centre parks on your holidays? What ideas would make you want to visit and spend time in a city centre park. How could we make this the best new city centre park in the UK? Would you or your organization like to become involved in the project? We will be putting a lot of thought over the next few months into how we could try and make a vision like this come to reality - not least in seeing how a vision like this could be funded and sustained into the future. With a strong partnership with a lot of people and organizations behind a project like this we have a good chance of making this exciting vision happen.

The exhibition runs from 9.30 am to 5.30pm from Thursday 1st December to Saturday 3rd December in the Winter Gardens. City Council Staff will be available to answer questions and hand out questionnaires.
For further information visit www.sheffield.gov.uk

they will probably open it then build another hotel on it like they have next to the winter gardens ruining that,dont trust this council at all any more,especially jan wilson

i wouldn't walk through that park at night- thats for sure!!

People on Sheffield Forum in "no imagination shocker!"
I think this looks good - no need for consultation just get on with it!

Looks ok, but what you can't tell from that picture is how steep that land is, it's quite a hike from the station up to the Cholera monument.

Didn't they used to have these things on display for weeks. How come its 2 or 3 days now.

I've finally found the Council website page with a better plan and a bit more waffle.

(Questionaire is missing though!)

Webpage here (http://www.sheffield.gov.uk/in-your-area/planning-and-city-development/planning-documents/consultation-drafts/sheaf-valley-park)

It would be even better if they demolished Park Hill Flats and made that part of the park.

Though I would put money on the "park" has planned becoming a typical piece of neglected council wasteland with a few shrubs and bleak expanses of turf.

Didn't they used to have these things on display for weeks. How come its 2 or 3 days now.

It's so they can say they "consulted", without anyone getting to ask any difficult questions. Has anyone else noticed that with the advent of 3D computer modelling, developers and architects are able to make whatever's proposed look much nicer than the old skool "artist's impressions"? They also often look much nicer than whatever gets built.

The bugger is, for all we know this might be really good. But how do you trust this lot?

Originally posted by mr_clumpit
They also often look much nicer than whatever gets built.

Actually, I'm noticing more and more how accurate these computer generated images are when compared against the final building. These images also help to put a building in context with the surrounding environment.

I'm all for the improvement of Sheffield's civic amenities, but to sell this idea on the grounds that it will be a "city centre park" is just a little devious. It's nowhere near the city "centre" - quite the wrong side of the tracks in fact.

I'd be much happier if the people dreaming up these schemes would be more open and honest, - and give the people who're putting up the money a reasonable time to consider them.

Does anyone know what sector of the council are in charge of looking after the plants in parks?

I wonder which "pot" the cost is coming out of? We spend to little on schools and roads as well as other services as it is.
If the park is not going to cost the "residents at large" who won't benefit anything from this park then fine, build it.
The problem we have is they will build it any way and we will end up paying for it as well!

Originally posted by J-Blaze
Does anyone know what sector of the council are in charge of looking after the plants in parks?

The Parks Department? http://www.sheffield.gov.uk/out--about/parks-woodlands--countryside :thumbsup:

I daren't ask what you're planning. :suspect:

I would imagine that the money will come from a variety of sources:


Private developer
Council Money
Goverment Grants
Lottery Schemes -Peoples millions

I think that this scheme will benifit the city and by building new bridges provide a good acces link into the area.

Actually, I'm noticing more and more how accurate these computer generated images are when compared against the final building.

Maybe some. Not the one of that crap building in the Peace Gardens.

Originally posted by cgksheff
I've finally found the Council website page with a better plan and a bit more waffle.

(Questionaire is missing though!)

Webpage here (http://www.sheffield.gov.uk/in-your-area/planning-and-city-development/planning-documents/consultation-drafts/sheaf-valley-park)

"a ‘world class’ city park". Goodness! I look forward to that! :D

I wonder what we're going to get for our money. Just imagine, people coming from all over the world to look at our world-class park..... amazing.

Originally posted by SHsheff
"a ‘world class’ city park". Goodness! I look forward to that! :D

I wonder what we're going to get for our money. Just imagine, people coming from all over the world to look at our world-class park..... amazing.

It works for New York (in part)!

The park seems a good idea and might even expand the perceived boundaries of the city centre to the Wicker and Victoria Quays if done right.

I've just been to the Winter Gardens to look at the plans. There's a lot of information, a model and someone from the planning dept to answer questions. I think it looks great. I used to live on that side of the City, and it's about time that area had some investment.

It will form part of a walk from Norfolk Park, through Clay Wood, past the Cholera monument, and into this new space.

The intention is to apply for lottery funding for it.

Originally posted by bglodge
Actually, I'm noticing more and more how accurate these computer generated images are when compared against the final building. These images also help to put a building in context with the surrounding environment.
What drugs would you have to be on to see this view (http://www.sheffield.gov.uk/EasySite/lib/serveDocument.asp?doc=54830&pgid=71909)?
Real photo (http://www.lucas-digital.com/images/sheffield/interchange1.jpg)

I think it is actually a good idea, but only if the council have lined up some maintenance and events that this park will host.

Would the park have a convenient tram stop? How long does it take to get there on the tram from town if you just wanted somewhere nice to eat your sandwiches on a sunny day?

Originally posted by Strix


Would the park have a convenient tram stop?

The "Sheffield Station" tram stop is at the middle of the bottom of the proposed 'park'.

At the end of the day, people visiting Sheffield will drive off the Parkway onto Park Square rounderbout, see the parkhill flats (which will look no different to how they look now), think that they are some 1950's high rise flats with a few trees planted around them. They will think how ugly, grotty grimy and old.

Are have high rise flats the first things you see when entering successful Manchester and Leeds?

When I heard they were planning a restoration/regeneration of the flats, I thought that they would re-cover them, like what they've done on the Hyde Park flats and the flats at the top of Netherthorpe road, which look smart.

As far as I'm aware they could have done this to Park Hill. Because as long as they don't make any structual changes they can do what they want. Re-covering buildings is a bit like putting scaffolding up around a building, its not actually attatched permanently. This solution would have been much cheaper than the amount which they are spending now!

I'm not very happy!

Originally posted by Paddy123
At the end of the day, people visiting Sheffield will drive off the Parkway onto Park Square rounderbout, see the parkhill flats (which will look no different to how they look now), think that they are some 1950's high rise flats with a few trees planted around them. They will think how ugly, grotty grimy and old.

Are have high rise flats the first things you see when entering successful Manchester and Leeds?

When I heard they were planning a restoration/regeneration of the flats, I thought that they would re-cover them, like what they've done on the Hyde Park flats and the flats at the top of Netherthorpe road, which look smart.

As far as I'm aware they could have done this to Park Hill. Because as long as they don't make any structual changes they can do what they want. Re-covering buildings is a bit like putting scaffolding up around a building, its not actually attatched permanently. This solution would have been much cheaper than the amount which they are spending now!

I'm not very happy!
The Parkhill Flats project and the City Park projects appear to be seperate projects - albeit on adjacent sites. Hopefully both will go ahead.

I also went to the Winter Gardens today to have a look. It looks okay. I think the main risk is that the railway line will form a sort of psychological barrier, so that people won't go there from the city centre. They are proposing two bridges over the railway for access, one from Ponds Forge, and one from the cultural industries quarter. I think these bridges will need to be quite eye-catching, to lure people across.

If anyone wants to get more involved, they are asking for people to join some kind of consulation group.