Big improvements for Hillsborough Park

HILLSBOROUGH Park is set for more transformation with an exciting £250,000 all wheeled bike park and a major overhaul of the playground.

The bike park project has been developed and funding secured by Sheffield City Council in partnership with Access Sport, Move More and Sheffield Hallam University.

Meanwhile, Sheffield Parks and Countryside have announced that the Hillsborough Park playground improvements are now underway.

This will be a six-week programme to deliver the first phase of improvements, which will include installing an impressive snake’s head slide, replacing the embankment slide with a

new embankment climbing feature and a new agility trail. Sheffield Parks and Countryside will be working with the Friends of Hillsborough Park to raise funds to complete the second phase of the scheme.

The council say that the new bike park, which was granted planning permission last week, will provide a progressive, inclusive and accessible community asset for the park and further contribute to Sheffield’s plans to promote and encourage cycling in the city.

The project at Hillsborough Park aims to help energise youth and inclusive cycling in Sheffield through building a brand-new community cycling facility that will be open to all ages and all abilities.

As well as the facility itself Access Sport will provide equipment such as bikes and helmets, storage facilities for equipment, and regular coaching sessions. Importantly the facility will act as a base for a new community cycling club run by local people. It will also provide the hub for a community outreach programme connecting with local schools and community groups to make sure that all members of society benefit, such as individuals who wouldn’t attend on their own and young people that don’t have access to a bike, can’t ride a bike or aren’t active in any way.

Consultation was undertaken in Autumn 2019 with local stakeholders, users of the park, and the wider community, in order to gauge support for the proposed bike park. This identified an overwhelming level of support from the local community for the bike park concept, with 91% of the 860 respondents supporting the project. Respondents highlighted that the facility would be a positive addition to the park which would provide a unique, inclusive, and accessible facility for all ages to take part in fun, active and healthy leisure activity.

Dr Anna Lowe, Programme Manager for the National Centre for Sport and Exercise Medicine, said: “I am absolutely delighted that the All Wheeled Bike Park now has planning permission, it is a great step forward in this ambitious project.

“The new bike park will be a fantastic asset for Hillsborough and for Sheffield; it will create new cycling opportunities for people of all ages and abilities to get active and will encourage more people to enjoy one of Sheffield’s many beautiful green spaces.”

Since the consultation the council has worked with Access Sport to develop a concept design for the inclusive bike park, designed to appeal to a wide range of bike users, as well as scooters, skateboarders and other wheeled sports. The facility will include a learn to ride area, a beginners section and an advanced section, allowing all ages and abilities to use the facility and develop their confidence and skills.

Through the partnership with Access Sport the facility is backed by Sport England and the London Marathon Charitable Trust, and is the first investment the Trust have made in a cycling facility outside of London. Further funding towards the project is being provided by Sheffield City Council’s Parks & Countryside Service public health funded programme of improvements. In total the partnership has secured more than £250,000 towards delivering the bike park, as well as support from British Cycling.

Planning permission was granted in August 2020, and over the next few months the facility will be procured and final designs for the bike park completed. It is expected that the bike park will be constructed and fully open to the public by late Spring 2021.

The bike track development comes after it was announced in June 2020 that Hillsborough Park is also is set for a new £1m community café and activity centre supported by The National Lottery Heritage Fund. Age UK Sheffield will restore the derelict Grade II Listed Old Coach House building, with work starting in the autumn.