Public in the swim at York Sport Village
The new £9 million York Sport Village, York’s newest swimming facility, is now fully operational and open to the public.
The centrepiece of the development, which is funded jointly by the University of York and City of York Council with support from Sport England, is a competition-standard eight lane 25-metre pool.
York Sport Village is close to the Grimston Bar Park-and-Ride site on the edge of the University’s Heslington East campus expansion.
As well as the swimming pool, York Sport Village features a learner pool, 120 station fitness suite, three studios for dance, spin and aerobics, full size 3G astroturf pitch and three further five-a-side pitches, sauna, steam rooms and a cafeteria. All facilities at the complex are available for use by students, staff and the public and it is accessible by public transport.
The University is contributing £5 million and the Council is contributing £3 million towards the project, with the remaining balance coming from Sport England’s Olympic legacy fund 'Places People Play.'
The facility is run by a limited liability partnership company called York Sport Village and the facilities have created around 30 new jobs, both full and part-time.
The University’s Pro-Vice-Chancellor for Estates and Strategic Projects, Elizabeth Heaps, said: “York Sport Village represents a major enhancement of sport and recreational provision in the city. It is highly appropriate that this wonderful facility was handed over by the contractors on the first day of the London Olympics.”
City of York Council's Cabinet Member for Leisure, Culture and Tourism, Councillor Sonja Crisp added: "York Sport Village will provide a state-of-the-art facility for residents and I'm delighted that it is opening in this, our Olympic year. We know that an active lifestyle brings a wide range of long term benefits and I hope that people of all ages will enjoy this facility which will help support both our city's sporting ambitions and health agenda for years to come."
Sport England’s Regional Strategic Lead for the North, Judith Rasmussen, added: “I am delighted that the city of York is benefiting from the magic of the Olympic Games, showing that the legacy is reaching every corner of the country. The opening of this wonderful facility will give everybody the opportunity to swim in a great environment and may even produce the next Rebecca Adlington!”
Further information
- More information about York Sport Village including opening times and admission details at www.york-sport.com/