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dronfield EYE
New look for an old friend
If you’ve visited Cliffe Park in recent weeks you will have noticed it has more children’s attractions than ever before
T HERE is an exciting new look to S18’s premier park this summer with a range of
new children’s play equipment and striking new colourful signage.
Cliffe Park on Callywhite Lane is administered by Dronfield Town Council and the local authority decided the time was right to install smart new playground attractions and upgrade some of the popular old ones.
The park has been a favourite with families from throughout Dronfield and further afield since it opened more than 80 years ago, having been “gifted” to the town by Alderman J.G. Graves, the Sheffield benefactor.
Flashback to how Dronfield’s Cliffe Park looked in years gone by. What are your favourite memories of the park?
It stages annual events including Dronfield Gala and DronFest, and many groups and societies make use of its Gosforth Lodge building and the adjoining tearooms. It also offers tennis courts and bowling greens and a floodlit MUGA pitch for football.
The Town Council’s redevelopment of the playground has been supported by local business Padley & Venables who made a £7,500 donation towards the cost of the project.
The Callywhite Lane company’s general manager, Darren Bradwell, said hundreds of workers from Padley & Venables, together with their families, had used the park’s facilities down the
years and that was why they were keen to support the project. One Cliffe Park feature which simply had to remain was the
famous sandpit - a real honeypot attraction at this time of year. Meanwhile, a number of local children have helped shape the
exciting new look to the park by creating artwork which features on new welcome signs. The Town Council rewarded them with prizes which were presented at a special event in Gosforth Lodge. The talented children were Millie and Ellie from Stonelow Junior School, Priya from William Levick Primary School, Ellymae from Gorseybrigg Primary School and Layla from Northfield Junior School.
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Pictured admiring one of the new Cliffe Parks signs are talented young artists Ellymae, Millie, Priya, Layla and Ellie, together with Padley & Venables general manager Darren Bradshaw, Dronfield Town Council Leader, Coun Angelique Foster, and Coun Kevin Tait