Despite the confusion in the media, we understand that “walk up” charges will be available for the new competition standard swimming pool when it opens on Hull Road in August.

The organisers tell us that, “The pool is also available on a pay as you go basis with discounts available for concessions and York card holders. These details will be available on the website shortly once confirmed but will range between £3.20-£4.55”.

The Pool will be open for everyone to use and enjoy from 6am-11pm during the week and 6:30am-11pm on weekends.

The admission charges are comparable with the Energise pool on Cornlands Road where the charges are Adult (with YorkCard) £3.65, Adult (standard) £4.55.

A walk through video of the new pool can be found here: http://tinyurl.com/York-pool-video

The Sports Village web site can be found here: http://www.york-sport.com/york_sport_village.php

The Sports Village results from an agreement, signed in 2010, between the York Council and the University of York, which incorporated public access conditions.

North Yorkshire Police will be carrying out mobile safety camera enforcement on the following roads between Wednesday 13 June and Tuesday 19 June 2012.

•A64 east-bound Bowbridge Farm Tadcaster
•York Road, Haxby, York ( Cycle Shop )
•York Road, Haxby, York
•A1237 Monks Cross, York
•A64 Malton by-pass east and west-bound
•A64 Seamer by-pass Scarborough
•A64 Seamer Road, Scarborough
•A64 Between Whitwell Hill and Barton Hill
•A64 Between Barton-le-Willows and Jinnah
•A64 Between Barton Hill and Whitwell Hill
•A171 Jugger Howe opposite Springhill Farm (more…)

click to enlarge Torch route

Tickets for the Olmpic entertainment event on 19th June are going well. They are available now from the Acomb Explore Library.

Meanwhile the Council has announced that it will be giving the Olympic Torch a ringing welcome to York with almost a dozen welcoming bands, choirs, peals of bells – church and bicycle – and even a few Vikings, before the Scots Guards’ band of pipes and drums see it off to Thirsk aboard the Scots Guardsman locomotive.

To entertain the waiting crowds and help build the atmosphere, the entertainment will start outside York College where the first Torchbearer will begin the York relay at 5.23pm on 19 June. Along its route, the Torch will be serenaded by choirs including the York Philharmonic Male Voice Choir, and a special performance by visiting choral groups from Australia and the USA.

The council’s York Arts Academy Band, local scout bands and a number of Shepherds’ Brass Bands will play, as will the Railway Institute’s Brass Band which has ‘The Grand Old Duke of York’ a favourite in its repertory. And greetings will be roared at the Flame from Clifford’s Tower by a group of Vikings.

Ringing a welcome through the city will be St Wilfrid’s peal from 4.45pm followed by York Minster’s carillon of 35 bells run after Evensong from 6pm on 19 June – listen out for the theme tune of ‘Chariots of Fire’ from Hugh Hudson’s 1981 film. Bicycle bells will be rung by some 100 young cyclists and parents on their specially-decorated bikes as the Torch passes Knavesmire Primary School on Campleshon Road. (more…)

A brass band festival and a spectacular Brass Band Proms will be adding a Yorkshire flavour to the city’s summer of celebrations for York 800 and the Queen’s Diamond Jubilee.

Eight York brass bands will showcasing their talent in a weekend of open-air concerts in York’s Museum Gardens on 30 June and 1 July, while on 20 August York’s top two bands join forces for a rip-roaring Proms concert on the stage of the Mystery Plays Theatre in the Museum Gardens. (more…)

125 year old Jubilee quilt

The Quilters’ Guild of the British Isles, based at the Quilt Museum and Gallery in York, is planning an exciting city-wide exhibition of quilts in public spaces around the city – ‘Quilt City’ – as part of the York 800 celebrations.

The exhibition will be supported by The National Lottery through Arts Council England and City of York Council. It will run from 14 September until 16 November 2012. ‘Quilt City’ will show a wide range of original and contemporary York-themed quilts, which are unique works of textile art, in locations around the city centre.

As part of this innovative project, two contemporary quilt makers have been commissioned to make new work for the exhibition. Linda Barlow and Alicia Merrett will both produce quilts exploring contemporary and historical York. (more…)

Air heat pump principles of operation

Tenants of the first City of York Council homes to be fitted with sustainable energy heating systems are ready to cut their carbon footprint – and their fuel bills.

Seven homes at Wenlock Gardens, Wheldrake, have had air source heat pumps installed to provide central heating. The pumps work by absorbing heat from the air – even when the temperature is as low as -15° C – which is used to heat radiators and hot water. (more…)