Construction begins on £7.4m park waterfront development

A ground breaking event was staged to mark the start of the £7.4m project. When complete it will include a waterfront visitor centre housing a new 150-seater cafe and indoor function space with views over the lake.

The development will also feature external landscaping with an area for play outside the café for younger visitors.

In addition, visitors will benefit from new car parking facilities to the east of the lake.

Rotherham Council, which has partnered with Kier Construction Ltd, has secured almost £20m from the Government’s Levelling Up Fund to create new jobs and and turn the district into a significant leisure destination.

Councillor David Sheppard, deputy leader of the council, 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 pleased 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.”

Dan Doherty, regional director for Kier Construction North and Scotland, said: “We are happy 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.”