Story: Tim Neal
Friends of Abbeyfield Park are petitioning the Council about the poor state of Abbeyfield Park House.
The roof is in a very poor state of repair, having been patched over many years. Evidence of leaks are increasingly visible inside. The Council faces spending restrictions and has a number of unoccupied Council buildings but, with winter coming, there is a real risk of serious damage to the Grade II listed building.
The Friends of Abbeyfield Park (FOAP) called an emergency meeting on 13th September. It was attended by 16 residents, including all three local Councillors, and agreed a petition asking the Council to carry out the necessary repairs to the roof of Abbeyfield Park House to keep it open and in community use.
The House has been in the possession of the Council since 1909, from housing Firth Park Grammar School to offering premises to local services. Today the House accommodates Green City Action, the Tool Bank and School for Vegetables, The Messenger and the meditation group. It also has a community room for use by local groups. The continued occupation of the House helps keep Abbeyfield Park safe and secure. It is obvious the Park itself, used by many children and adults locally, would be badly affected if the House were to close.
FOAP has had many offers of support and a number of local residents have agreed to help out. A meeting in early October will explore routes to sustainability for the House. If it is not maintained, there is a risk it would go the way of Osborne House – the thought of it being boarded up and falling into ruin is unacceptable.
Volunteers will be asking for signatures over the coming months. To sign the online petition please visit:
http://sheffield.moderngov.co.uk/
Sign the paper petition at Abbeyfield Park House, or Burngreave Library (note the library is closed 1st – 12th October)
To find out more or get involved, please visit
http://abbeyfieldpark.wordpress.com,
email abbeyfieldpark@gmail.com, follow @abbeyfieldhouse on Twitter or visit FriendsOfAbbeyfieldPark on Facebook.
