Chesterfield Canal trust ground breaking ceremony
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00:00 Hello, I'm Peter Hardy. I'm the Chair of the Chesterfield Canal Trust and myself and lots of other people
00:07 we're all here for a groundbreaking event.
00:10 And the groundbreaking event is that today we are starting the next stage of the restoration of the Chesterfield Canal.
00:18 We have been awarded some of money from the Staveley Towns Fund and
00:26 that money is being used to build two bridges, a lock,
00:31 half mile of canal and a footpath, a bridleway, all the way from here to Renishaw.
00:38 And we hope that in a few months time
00:41 people will be able to walk, commute,
00:46 cycle, horse ride even, all the way from Renishaw to Staveley.
00:52 Welcome everybody and I'd just like on behalf of the Chesterfield Canal Trust to welcome you to this groundbreaking event.
00:59 This is the start of an exciting time for the Chesterfield Canal Trust.
01:04 But not just the Canal Trust, also for the residents of Staveley
01:10 and for any visitors that are going to come along.
01:13 There will be lots.
01:16 Staveley, as you probably know, was awarded the money from the government's town deal.
01:19 And we were fortunate to receive a share of it.
01:24 We've also ourselves been raising money to help with landscaping and seating.
01:29 I mean thank you to you, thanks to everyone that's involved in the Chesterfield Canal Trust.
01:36 It's a huge asset to the town, it's one we're incredibly proud of.
01:40 I know a huge amount of work goes in from both people like George and volunteers
01:45 who've brought forward what is a huge asset for the town.
01:50 Huge thanks also to Chesterfield Borough Council who led on the town deal bid.
01:55 Without that bid, a lot of the developments that we're now getting for Staveley couldn't have happened.
02:01 And thanks also to everyone who supports this, the facility that you have here.
02:07 And I know that once we get the bridge built, once we get the further extension to the canal,
02:14 we'll have an even bigger asset for many generations in the future.
02:17 On behalf of Chesterfield Borough Council and the Staveley Town Deal Board,
02:23 I'd like to thank the Canal Trust for inviting us along this afternoon.
02:28 The canal, as Toby's referenced, is a real asset to the area.
02:37 Particularly so in case of people's health and well-being.
02:43 It's extremely well used.
02:45 This will make a piece of the canal even more accessible to people.
02:52 And of course, if we're going to get our economy going again in this town,
02:57 it means that we're going to have to get more and more people work ready.
03:01 And through recreation and leisure, they build up their strength to be able then to take on
03:07 some of the other projects that are involved in the town deal,
03:09 which are about gaining skills and getting into work.
03:13 I just want to echo what's been said.
03:16 It's just great to see the canal getting going again.
03:20 And that's all down to the volunteers who've put so much time in on it.
03:26 And all down to everybody who works on the Canal Trust.
03:29 Because without them, without their enthusiasm,
03:31 without their 30 year plus now record of getting things done,
03:35 we wouldn't be here today.
03:37 And we wouldn't be restoring this magnificent part of our history to its former glories.
03:43 And I can't wait.
03:45 I know when I first became an MP in 2017, I came and talked to the Trust.
03:49 And they were so as enthusiastic as they are now about finishing this final bit.
03:54 And we are getting there.
03:55 And we're getting there thanks to a lot of hard work, a lot of endeavour,
03:59 quite a few, I think, gritty, sleepless nights and frustrations at times.
04:03 but it's days like today that make all the difference.
04:06 So thank you for everything you've done to get us here.