Chesterfield Canal to host IWA 2009 Campaign Festival

The Festival will be held over the Spring Bank Holiday Weekend (23 - 25 May 2009).

IWA wants to build support for the work of the Chesterfield Canal Partnership in its plans to replace the collapsed Norwood Tunnel with a surface route and thereby reconnect Kiveton Park to those parts of the Chesterfield Canal that are already restored, and the parts of the canal that are currently under restoration in Derbyshire.

IWA also hopes to spur on the Partnership's plans for a new navigable link between the Chesterfield Canal and the Sheffield & South Yorkshire Navigation in Rotherham.

Encourage visiting boaters to the Chesterfield Canal

The Festival organisers also hope to encourage visiting boaters to use the beautiful Chesterfield Canal and other lesser frequented waterways of the lower Trent. The Festival location is at the limit of British Waterways' ownership of the canal, and within a few yards of Norwood Tunnel whose collapse caused the closure of the canal beyond this point in 1908. The Festival is being jointly organised by IWA together with the Chesterfield Canal Trust, The Chesterfield Canal Partnership, and the Retford & Worksop Boat Club.

The Chesterfield Canal is one of the county's earliest canals, and was the last to be designed by James Brindley. Within its 46 miles it traverses widely different urban and rural landscapes and has a wide range of heritage features, many unique to the Chesterfield Canal.

IWAC classes the Chesterfield as being of 'national importance'

Substantial progress has been made towards full restoration. In addition to the physical works carried out on the ground, there has been major progress on the range of studies required to support a major funding bid. The importance of this canal was confirmed by The Inland Waterways Advisory Council in their December 2006 report, which classes the Chesterfield as being of 'national importance' and in 'Category 1' (i.e. ready for funding).

John Fletcher, IWA national chairman, said: "IWA is delighted to be able to use the Campaign Festival to highlight the work of the Chesterfield Canal Partnership and to help mobilise even further support for a scheme of national importance.

"The Chesterfield Canal Society (now the Trust) was formed in 1976 as a result of IWA's decision to hold its 1977 Campaign Rally in Worksop, which was then the limit of navigation. We are delighted to be able to return and continue our support for the Trust.

"Although the aim is to restore the entire canal on as near as is practical to the original line, it is also proposed to create a new length of canal in the Rother valley. 'The Rother Valley Link', will create a new 'North Notts & South Yorkshire Ring', and thus extend the cruising network within the region and bring a positive increase in visitors and significant economic benefits to North Nottinghamshire, Derbyshire and South Yorkshire."