May 28 2013: Environment scheme for Crystal Peaks 25th anniversary
CRYSTAL Peaks shopping centre has joined forces with city organisation the Riverside Stewardship Company to restore a neglected waterway close to the award-winning mall.
Ochre Dike is a small stream that rises in the Gleadless Townend area are meanders past Crystal Peaks before joining the River Rother in nearby Beighton.
It takes its name from the pollution of the Industrial Revolution years that used to see the water turned a distinctive yellow.
Now though, as part of the Crystal Peaks 25th anniversary Love to Help Campaign, the centre’s management team has teamed up with the Riverside Stewardship Company to manage a scheme that will clean up the waterway.
The River Stewardship Company (RSC) was established by a group of public and third sector partners including Sheffield City Council, Groundwork Sheffield, Sheffield Wildlife Trust, Environment Agency, South Yorkshire Forest, Five Weirs Walk Trust and Upper Don Walk Trust.
It undertakes riverside management work and community projects involving local communities and volunteers.
Working closely with Crystal Peaks, the organisation will coordinate and supervise the volunteer force needed for a monthly clean up project throughout the centre’s 25th anniversary year, with a first volunteer date scheduled for June 14.
“This is an extremely important element of the Love to Help campaign,” said Crystal Peaks centre manager Lee Greenwood.
“The RSC are carrying out the important risk assessment and providing all the proper equipment to ensure that the volunteers can do a good job safely, hopefully involving the whole community in creating a pleasanter, greener environment.
“At Crystal Peaks we are very committed to working in the wider community and this particular project is one part of a wider campaign to create green spaces and even a wildflower corridor in the months and years to come.”
