Rivelin Valley Park 4.3

Rivelin Valley Park is a public recreation area in the Rivelin Valley area of Sheffield, England. The facilities consist of a playground and a small water park as well as a café. The park is situated on the Rivelin Valley Nature Trail.HistoryRecreation facilities in the area of Rivelin Valley Park go back to 1909 when the Corporation converted the New Dam into an open air swimming pool. The New Dam had been constructed in 1853 as a supplementary water supply to Spooner mill which made scythes and cutlery. The swimming pool was opened on September 18, 1909 for men and boys, although it is recorded that women were allowed to use the facility. The water in the pool was always very cold because of low sunlight due to it being set low in the valley, however 19,098 bathers used the pool in 1910. The pool closed in the 1930s when the large wooden hut used as changing facilities burned down.New facilities were built for the park in the early 1950s on the site of the Spooner’s wheel, which dated from the late 18th century. The mill buildings were demolished and the small reservoir filled in, and were replaced by the children’s playground and café. At the same time paddling pools were constructed between Rivelin Valley Road and the River Rivelin. The river had always been used as an unofficial play area by children and the new pools which were constructed as part of the Festival of Britain celebrations were inspired by the success of the paddling pools at Millhouses Park. The construction of the pools called for the River Rivelin to be diverted by the use of a cofferdam and puddling. The pools were opened by the Lord Mayor Alderman T.W. Bridgland, J.P on July 27, 1951.