Refurb the playground at Forge Dam

Playground neglected for almost 30 years needs £250,000 to bring it up to standard.

After nearly thirty years since the last refurbishment, Forge Dam is set for some regeneration after registered charity, Friend of the Porter Valley, and a group of local parents and childcare professionals have taken on the challenge of raising £250,000.

The playground, nestled between the city and the Peak District, has been a lifeline for local families and children from across Sheffield during the pandemic. With the increased popularity of the beautiful Porter Valley the playground is often full, but it isn’t meeting the needs of its many young users.

At the bottom of its iconic hillside slide is play equipment in serious need of an update. The playground has received no investment since 1993 and has not benefitted from the many advances made in accessible design seen in other playgrounds across the UK. Friends of the Porter Valley are calling on everyone who uses the park to head to their website and tell them what would make this a great space for everyone who uses it.

Local residents, Victoria Cobley, 36, Helen Wilson, 33, and Emily Baughan, 34 , have set up Forge Dam Play Fund to generate funds from different audiences.

“I remember this park being installed and now my children are playing on the same equipment. It is a wonderful park but it is tired. It really was a lifesaver in covid. With the fantastic café, it meant we always had somewhere to go where we go see other people”, said Victoria.

Helen Wilson who runs The Little Puddle People is keen for the playground to be more inclusive: “We love the playground but it’s not very inclusive of all abilities. I have two neurodiverse children, one of which is visual impaired. There are things that playgrounds can do that don’t cost much to make them better for children with different abilities”.

Forge Dam Play Fund are raising money using GoFundMe. They plan to host events and are in touch with local artists and businesses about how they might help the campaign.

Emily said: “These things can take years to raise the funds for. We have set up an alternative way to donate so we can be reactive to what is going on and hopefully raise the money a bit quicker. It’s certainly a challenge in difficult economic times, but we believe that now, more than ever, free, accessible public space for children to play is vital.”

Forge Dam is a very popular park. It is easily accessible on foot from Eccelsall Road on foot, by car or by the 120 bus. It’s a gateway to the nature that surrounds it: a place where children can play under native oak, hawthorn and lime trees, and learn to climb a well-loved yew tree alongside the swings and slides.

The £250,000 target came after conversations with the council on what it would cost for a dream park and would look at the landscaping in the area to potentially extend the area. “At the moment there is a bit of land right next to one of the playground entrances that cars park in. This is crazy as it makes it difficult if you need to access with a pram or wheelchair, and it compromises the safety of the children. It would be great if that area could be adopted into the space, as it would allow more equipment.

“£250,000 is a lot of money, but it would be great to have a playground that all ages and abilities can enjoy. We are sure that there are lots of local business owners who are familiar with the park from taking their own children, grandchild or going down the slide when they were kids, willing to give us a helping hand “, continued Victoria.