York allotment facts

York allotment classes prize giving 1925

York allotment classes prize giving 1925

How many plots are there on the 16 allotment sites belonging to City of York Council? 1333

How many tenancies are there on these sites? 1271

How many people are currently on a waiting list for a plot? 144

Have there been new allotments created since 2010? Are there any plans to create new allotment space in the near future? Yes

How much revenue is generated to the City of York Council by renting out these plots? Rents £53,807 How much money does it cost the City of York Council to rent these plots(maintenance, water + any other costs involved). Direct costs £27,370, plus management and administrative costs (time) which is not kept as a single figure

Source FOI CFT0148 

For a full list of the allotments run by the City of York Council click here

Get fit playing football in York

 Residents are being invited to net the chance to take part in a new football course to get them ‘Footy Fit’.

Footy fit

The new course, run by City of York Council in partnership with the York City Football Club Foundation, kicks off at Burnholme Community Sports Hub, starting on 3 June at 6.30pm and will run every Wednesday for ten consecutive weeks.

The aim of ‘Footy Fit’, which is open to all adults who want to reach their fitness goals, is to gradually improve fitness using football drills and regular games.

This fun and friendly class is ideal for all abilities and a great way to get back on the ball. All ages and levels of fitness are welcome and all attendees need to do is dust off their boots and put on some shin pads.

Equipment will be provided and the course will be led by a York City Foundation Football coach who is also qualified in building strength and conditioning.

The course costs just £30 for ten weeks and sessions will last one hour. To book a place please contact Dean Sharp on 01904 553377 or e-mail dean.sharp@york.gov.uk. Places are limited for the course and booking is essential.

Archaeological work could delay key projects – Theatre Royal and Community Stadium face delays

Archaeologists have found remains of significance during the York Theatre Royal refurbishment. It means that  the reopening of the Theatre will be delayed.

The annual pantomime (DickWhittington and his Meerkat!) is being moved to the Railway Museum (click)

Another major dig is taking place at the site of the planned new Community Stadium.

Outline of roman camp revealed

Outline of roman camp revealed

There is likely to be some concern about what impact this work will have on the practical start date for the construction of the stadium.

The project is already 2 years behind schedule.

At Huntington, archaeologists know broadly what they are likely to find. A roman “training” camp was revealed a few years ago – by chance – during a routine aerial survey of the area. Its existence had been unknown when the original stadium was built. While some artifacts may be unearthed it seems unlikely that the dig will overrun its 4 week timetable.

Updates on the work can be found by clicking here

The decision notice on the planning application is not due to issued until July and confirmation of contractors will not be possible until then in any event.

The open day for potential sub contractors will take place on 1st June (see below).

Meet the buyer event

Meet the buyer event

We expect an early statement from the new York Council about the Knights Rugby Team and their re-engagement with the project.

How quickly it becomes clear, whether the promised July 2016 stadium completion date will be met, remains to be seen.

Projects of this scale would normally take at least 18 months to construct, fit out and pass through various accreditation processes.

Walk 2 Jog … even further!

Following in the sprightly footsteps of the Walk 2 Jog programme, City of York Council’s Sport and Active Leisure team is introducing a new course to help more people jog even further.

Walk Jog

Developed following the successful Walk 2 Jog programme which helped beginner joggers to complete a five kilometre (5k) run, this course steps up the distance from 5k to 10k.

The programme is timed to help people to run a full distance at the Jane Tomlinson’s Run For All ASDA Foundation York 10K on Sunday 2 August.

A group of up to 20 participants, led by fully-qualified run leaders, will gradually increase jogging distances each week and will receive suggestions for additional exercise to complete between sessions to help achieve the 10k goal.

This longer distance course offers ideal progression for anyone wanting to increase their jogging distance and is another way in which the council is encouraging more people to undertake moderate intensity physical activity for 150 minutes a week.

Sessions start Wednesday 27 May at 6.30pm from Rowntree Park and will continue weekly for 10 weeks. The course costs £15. Everyone is welcome, but participants should already be able to jog 5k.

For further information and to book your place please contact Dean Sharp on 01904 553377 or e-mail dean.sharp@york.gov.uk

CityCross cycle race coming to Rowntree Park on 13th June

In the tyre tracks of the inaugural Tour de Yorkshire City of York Council’s Rowntree Park will play host to the exhilarating Morvelo CityCross on 13 June.

cyclo cross 2

York will host the fourth CityCross which brings together the best elements from cycling and mountain biking with added man made obstacles, including steps, ramps, berms and bridges.In CityCross everyone is a winner. There will be races for Under 12’s, Youths, Juniors, Women Only, Novices, Seniors and Veterans. CityCross is a bike race and a party all rolled into one and as much fun to watch as to race.  Spectating is free, and positively encouraged.

With trade stands, artists exhibiting and artisan food stalls and a purpose built challenging course in the grounds of Rowntrees Park the event has all the hall marks of a big cycling fun packed party for all the family.

David Short, i-Travel York programme manager said, “I am delighted that Morvelo have approached us with a view to staging the event in York which we are pleased to support. All the evidence shows that if you get people into cycling in a fun environment then they are more likely to take it up as their preferred choice of travel. Cycling keeps you fit, is better for the environment, reduces traffic congestion and is cheap!”

Emma Osenton, the organiser from Mills Events says, “CityCross is very popular. We have run these events in Halifax, Leeds and other UK cities and we are delighted to be able to bring CityCross to York, an iconic cycling city.
For more information on CityCross York visit http://www.citycross.co.uk/

Council seeks local contractors for Community Stadium work as planning permission notice still awaited.

Are you interested in supplying services for the York Community Stadium build?

With the planning decision notice still awaiting the attention of the new Local Government Minister, the York Council has decide to look for local sub contractors for some of the stadium build work

Community Stadium Nov 2014

Local construction businesses who are interested in supplying products and services required for the building of the York Community Stadium and Leisure Complex scheme are being invited to attend a ‘Meet the Buyer’ event.

City of York Council, in partnership with ISG, are hosting the event on Monday 1 June at the council’s West Offices between 10am -3pm.

ISG are the preferred construction partner for the stadium development as part of the successful consortium bid led by Greenwich Leisure Limited (GLL).

Attendees will benefit from hearing more about ISG’s supply chain standards, the packages still to be let and funding available for training and apprenticeship recruitment.

Packages include:
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Community Stadium planning delay hits swimming pool management

With the official planning decision notice still predictably delayed, the Community Stadium development contract cannot yet be signed.

This means that potential contractor GLL cannot take over the running of leisure facilities like Energise in Acomb.

 GLL were the managers of the Huntington Stadium and the adjacent Waterworld facility, but both closed about 6 months ago.

We understand that staff at the successful Energise leisure centre have been told that a proposed 1st June handover date has now been shelved.

Uncertain future for popular Energise leisure centre

Uncertain future for popular Energise leisure centre

There never seemed any real possibility that the Secretary of State would decide whether or not to call in the Community Stadium plans before the General Election.

 June seemed the earliest likely decision date but even that could be optimistic if the election result is not – as appears likely to be the case – clear cut.

The July 2016 opening date for the stadium continues to look very optimistic.

The project is running over 2 years behind schedule mainly as a result of a decision by some Labour Councillors to privatise all the City’s leisure facilities into one contract.

This led to the closure of Waterworld and a threat to future of the Yearsley Pool.

It also added £8 million to the taxpayers bill for the project.

York Community Stadium clears another hurdle… survey boost for Knights fans

The York Planning Committee has today approved the latest plans to build a Community Stadium at Huntington.

The decision comes 5 years after an agreement was reached on how a new stadium could be funded.

Community Stadium Nov 2014

The decision was expected following a recommendation for Council officials that the plans should be approved. Outline planning permission had been granted in 2012 and the full Council had, last October, accepted a new financial package which included the provision of more retail floor-space.

The new plans did, however, lead to the closure of Waterworld with the future of the Yearsley pool also placed in jeopardy.

There were surprisingly few objections from other retailers to the new plans while concerns about traffic and parking arrangements were also muted.

The plans will now be put to the Secretary of State. He could decide to “call in” the plans. With the present Parliament due to be dissolved on Monday prior to the General Election, it is likely to be June before any decision on the referral is made.

History may record that the most difficult times for the project have yet to come.

A deal with rugby is essential if the stadium asset is to be fully exploited (and business plan income achieved). There were also some awkward conditions imposed in the original planning application which have yet to be satisfied.

A solution to the Yearsley pool issue will be one of the first issues on the new Councils agenda when it too meets for the first time in June.

Then there is the ambitious 12 month building timetable. As we have said before, we doubt if a stadium could be completed for the start of the 2016 football season; but we hope we are proved to be wrong.

The less complicated project plan – agreed 5 years ago – would have been implemented by now.

We would have a stadium with both football and rugby being played there.

It remains to be seen whether the delays have been worthwhile.

Boost for Knights

York Knights

In a survey undertaken by Liberal Democrats on thee west of the City residents were asked whether they agreed with following statement

” The Council should ensure that the Knights rugby team are able play matches at the new community stadium”

  • 70% agreed
  • 10% disagreed
  • 20% were undecided.

Yearsley Pool public meeting

A public meeting will take place on Monday (16th March) to discuss the future of Yearsley Swimming Pool. 

Yearsley Pool campaigners

Yearsley Pool campaigners

The meeting will be at the 68 Youth & Community Centre on Monkton Road at 5:15pm. It has been arranged as part of a council scrutiny review into the future of the pool.

The review was setup following a request by Liberal Democrat councillors to re-consider Labour’s decision to cut the £250,000 annual subsidy given to Yearsley from 2016/17.

Monday’s meeting will ask residents and users for their views on the pool and will listen to ideas about how its future can be secured.

Before the public meeting, members of the cross-party review will go on a tour of the Yearsley facility.
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