Rotherham Council’s Deputy Leader, Cllr David Sheppard joined partners Kier Construction Ltd. to officially break ground on the site of a new café at Rother Valley Country Park this month.
The works are part of a series of £7.4m improvements at the park which will boast a waterfront development, housing a new 150-seater eatery and indoor function space with views extending over the lake.
The new development will also include external landscaping with an area for play outside the café for younger visitors. In addition, visitors will also benefit from new car parking facilities to the East of the lake, which will greatly improve accessibility and visitor experience.
The improvements at the popular country park are part of wider aims to build a thriving leisure offer and visitor economy in Rotherham.
Rotherham Council secured almost £20m from the government’s Levelling Up Fund to create new jobs and celebrate the hidden gems and green spaces that are unique to Rotherham’s heritage, transforming Rotherham into a major leisure destination.
Cllr Sheppard, who is also Cabinet Member for Social Inclusion and Neighbourhood Working, said: “The Council aims to grow Rotherham’s leisure economy by making the most of our unique assets and green spaces and investing in training to support jobs in this sector.
“Rother Valley Country Park is a landmark visitor attraction here in Rotherham, enjoyed by thousands of visitors from across the borough and all over the UK each year. I’m delighted work has started and I’m very much looking forward to seeing these improvements take shape, and eventually make what is a great day out even better.”
The improvements follow extensive public consultation, with people invited to give their views on the changes which would bring the greatest benefit to visitors of the park.
The partnership with Kier Construction will also build on the Council’s work on social value to promote local employment through council spending. Throughout the works the South Yorkshire based builders have committed to employing 18 local people on the project.
Dan Doherty, regional director for Kier Construction North and Scotland, said: “We are delighted to be delivering improvements to the facilities at Rother Valley Country Park. The new Visitor Centre will provide a fantastic space for local communities to come together to explore and enjoy the great outdoors, enhancing the overall experience for everyone who visits.”
In addition to the plans for Rother Valley, the Levelling Up funding secured by Rotherham Council is being used to transform part of Wentworth Woodhouse Grade I listed stable block to include a new commercial kitchen, café and events space, whilst Magna has benefited from exhibition upgrades and an improved visitor experience. Thrybergh Country Park will use the funding to refurbish its current café.
These investments will be underpinned by a skills package which will see the creation of Skills Street at Gulliver’s Valley Resort and a new incubator space at the former Maltby Grammar School which has now reached completion.
