LOVE was in the air as Sheffield and Tinsley Canal welcomed visitors over Valentine’s weekend as part of a special open day.
Tinsley Marina opened its gates on February 15 as part of a Canal & River Trust initiative to show different ways canals can be enjoyed.
From arts and heritage to canoeing and walks, a range of free family-friendly activities for all ages was on offer, kindly supported by players of the People’s Postcode Lottery funding.
George Baines, youth and community engagement co-ordinator at Canal & River Trust, organised the event and urged people to visit their waterways at any time. He said: “Sheffield & Tinsley Canal is a wonderful place to be, taking you from city to country. Wildlife and greenery line the towpath and the area’s rich steel heritage is everywhere along the canal, alongside contemporary artwork and colourful murals.
“Research tells us that our canals and rivers are among the most important places to visit to improve your health, well-being and give our mood a boost. With spring around the corner, it’s a great time of year to help people to reconnect to this hidden gem and showcase the work we do to look after our historic waterways and keep them open and alive.”
As part of the initiative, the public can view the new major artwork by British artist Alex Chinneck that celebrates the history of Tinsley, Sheffield’s historic waterways and industrial heritage. The Looping Boat is situated just a few minutes’ walk from Tinsley Marina and takes the form of a 13-metre-long canal boat that performs a gravity-defying loop-the-loop on the water.
Also on offer were arts and crafts activities including creating your own canal scene and making your own duck food. Visitors were also able to see more than 200 years of living history and see first-hand the trust’s work to repair and restore our canals this winter.
They could also walk to Tinsley Lock 12 (about 1.5 miles along the towpath) to see works taking place at the last lock before the canal enters the River Don. Repairs undertaken while the lock chamber is empty of water include replacing both upstream and downstream lock gates, the lock ladders and brickwork repairs to the chamber wall.
There was also a canoeing taster session and a well-being walk along the canal towpath.
