About Friends of Graves Park
Friends of Graves Park
In 1935 Alderman J G Graves bought 43 acres of Norton Park to prevent it falling into the hands of developers and becoming yet another housing estate. He then gifted this land to the people of Sheffield on condition that the City Council maintained it as public parkland forever. The Lord Mayor of Sheffield accepted the conditions, and the land became an extension of Graves Park.
During the 1950s and 1960s 7 acres of this land was utilised by the City Council as a nursery for growing plants for the city's parks. But as budgets were cut, the nursery fell into disuse, and in 1998 the council declared it surplus to requirements and attempted to sell it for development.
Local people were outraged by the proposals and formed The Hands Off Graves Park Committee, to fight the proposals. They received backing from the Charity Commission, and the City Council were forced to back down and agreed that the land should be returned to parkland.
The Friends of Graves Park evolved from THOGPC, with a broader mandate to protect the whole of Graves Park, and oversee the reclamation of the Nurseries.The Group applied for and obtained charitable status. This along with its broad support, will hopefully secure the integrity of this historic park for the future.
This document maintained by
friends@gravespark.fsnet.co.uk.
Material
Copyright © 2000 Friends of Graves Park