Aiming for the top at York Sport Village
Posted on 20 February 2012
Representatives of the contractor Sir Robert McAlpine Limited will invite senior figures from the University and City of York Council to put the finishing touches of concrete to the structure. The ceremony on 21 February will also involve the fixing of a traditional evergreen bough to the building. The University’s Vice-Chancellor Professor Brian Cantor and the Sir Robert McAlpine Limited Works Manager, Jimmy Walker, will toast the occasion with a noggin of ale.
York Sport Village will be a superb sporting asset for our students and for everyone in the city.
Professor Brian Cantor
The
centrepiece of the development, which is funded jointly by the University and
City of York Council with support from Sport England, is a competition-standard
eight lane 25-metre pool.
As well as the swimming pool, York Sport Village will feature 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. All facilities at the complex will be available for use by students, staff and the public.
The University is contributing £5 million and the Council is contributing £3 million, with the balance coming from a grant from Sport England.
The complex will be run by a limited liability partnership company called York Sport Village. Any surpluses will be ring-fenced for re-investment in the facilities and the facilities are expected to create up to 30 new jobs, both full and part-time.
A steering group has been established to provide feedback from York Sport Village users. The new complex next to Grimston Bar Park & Ride will be served by public transport.
Professor Cantor said: “York Sport Village will be a superb sporting asset for our students and for everyone in the city. It reflects our commitment both to enhance our students’ experience at a world class University, and to contribute to the health and well-being of people throughout the city. Our sports and recreational facilities for students, staff and the community are already outstanding, and York Sport Village will take them to an even higher level.”
Councillor Sonja Crisp, the Council’s Cabinet member for Leisure, Culture and Social Inclusion, said: “York Sport Village will provide a state of the art facility for residents across the city and I’m delighted that work has started in this, an 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 the fantastic facilities on offer at the site.”
Mr Andrew McAlpine said: “Sir Robert McAlpine is proud to be associated with such an esteemed project as the Sport Village. Working together with the University of York and City of York Council, we will deliver a sports facility of the highest standard which will be enjoyed by the people and students of York for generations to come.”
Notes to editors:
- More about York Sport Village at www.york.ac.uk/campus-development/projects/sports-village/
- More about Sir Robert McAlpine Limited at www.sir-robert-mcalpine.com
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