Earth Centre, Doncaster

The Earth Centre, Doncaster was located at gbmapping|SK508997 in Conisbrough in the Metropolitan borough of Doncaster, South Yorkshire.

Background

Until the 1850s, the Don Valley was little touched by industrialisation.

In 1819 Sir Walter Scott visited Conisbrough Castle and described for posterity that part of the valley which now cradles Earth Centre. "There are few more beautiful or striking scenes in England than are presented by the vicinity of this ancient Saxon fortress. The soft and gentle River Don sweeps through an amphitheatre in which cultivation is richly blended with vegetation."

Within 50 years, the Industrial Revolution destroyed this rural idyll. Denaby Main coal pit was opened in 1868 followed by Cadeby Colliery in 1893.

For the next 100 years, the mines provided coal for the country and a livelihood for the people of Conisbrough & Denaby Main. But the land and the people were to suffer as a consequence.

Both coal and livelihood were taken away in 1968 and 1986 when the pits closed, and what was left behind was a legacy of despair and high (33%) unemployment among the local population of Conisbrough, Denaby and Mexborough. There were also two huge spoil heaps where fields and an ancient fish farm had been.

In 1990 a change took place when Jonathan Smales decided that the derelict convert|400|acre|km2|sing=on site left behind by the pits was ideal for an Earth Centre. Jonathan was working on an idea for a museum for the millennium conceived by John Letts, Life President of the Museum of the Year Award. A suitable site had not been found elsewhere in the country, and so South Yorkshire was chosen.

:"Following Earth Centre progress was a roller coaster ride of false starts, wild hopes and dashed plans." The Guardian

Initial plans were for a gradual development of the site, incorporating community-led projects and with much construction work being undertaken by Mowlem, who used the site to train apprentices. The first stage of that project opened in 1994, including a sustainable aquaculture centre and a community farm.

In 1995 the Millennium Commission made an award to Earth Centre, which became one of its Landmark Millennium projects. The site was completely redesigned and virtually all existing landscaping and projects were destroyed, which lost the goodwill of the local community who felt excluded from the project. From 1996 work progressed on the remediation of the remaining polluted land and the design and construction of the many buildings and exhibitions. Phase 1 was only just completed in time for the gala opening, after several changes of layout, design details and false starts.

Construction

Phase 2

Thus it was that Earth Centre re-opened in May 2001. Suzy-Brain England was brought in to turn the venture around and make the visitor attraction viable. More attractions were built as money from grants and other sources became available. A pirate ship was built, a crazy golf course and indoor 'Amazon Adventure' play area.

Education visits continued and more customers were initially attracted to the improved facilities. However, by 2003 it was obvious that the target visitor numbers were not being met, and by 2004, as increasing numbers of staff were leaving, it was evident that the centre was unviable.

In September 2004 the attraction closed to the public, and only pre-booked school parties were allowed. By the end of October, the Earth Centre, monument to Sustainability, was un-sustainable and was put in the hands of administrators.

The Earth Centre was used again in the floods of June 2007 for refugees whose homes had been damaged.

Mid 2008 the site has been aquired for use by Cerberus Airsoft for use as a 160 acre skirmish site.

External links

* [http://www.townfield.doncaster.sch.uk/earthcentre.htm Town Field Primary School, Doncaster's page about the Centre] with photos

* [http://www.cerberusairsoft.co.uk Cerberus Airsoft]