Olympic Torch sports taster sessions

City of York Council is lining up an exciting team of sport taster sessions for all to enjoy at the Olympic Torch celebrations at York Racecourse on 19 June.

The special event will kick off at 2:30pm with a host of interactive sports displays from a wide range of sporting organisations which the public can take part in for free.

Sessions will be on offer from sports bodies including The Yorkshire Cricket Foundation, England Basketball, British Cycling, British Equestrian Foundation, Orienteering – Eborienteers, Climbing Wall and British Gymnastics.

From 5pm an evening of entertainment follows the demonstrations, with performances from Katy B, Twist & Pulse and more.

Sport sessions will be running from 2:30pm to 5pm on 19 June at York Racecourse and free tickets are available from:

• Visit York’s Visitor Information Centre on Museum Street
• York Explore Library Learning Centre at Library Square
• Acomb Explore on Front Street, Acomb
• or Tang Hall Library on Fifth Avenue, Tang Hall.

York Sports village: admission charges clarified

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 mobile safety (speed) camera routes 13 – 19 June 2012

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…)

Bells, bands and bagpipes to welcome Olympic Torch to York

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…)

Summer of brass in the gardens

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…)

‘Quilt City’ commissions new work for York 800 public exhibition

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…)

First York tenants get air source pump heaters

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…)

LibDem backed Green Deal: fast facts

1. The Green Deal is essentially a very cheap loan scheme to pay for energy-saving measures which will make the UK more energy-efficient.

2. Why is this being done? Firstly, our homes suffer from a shocking amount of heat loss. Secondly, Britain has ambitious targets for cutting carbon emissions, and the Green Deal is an important part of meeting those targets.

3. The golden rule of the Green Deal means the amount you save on your bills will always be greater than the cost of the energy-saving measures.

4. The cost – up to a current maximum of £6,500 – is absorbed into the future energy bills of your home and paid back over time.

5. An estimated 26,000,000 homes could be eligible for green deal financing.

LibDem Energy Secretary and Climate Change Secretary Edward Davey said:

“Today I have published the Government’s detailed plans along with legislation that will allow the industry to bring the Green Deal into existence. The Green Deal will play a huge role in improving the energy efficiency of our homes and businesses, with ECO making sure that the most vulnerable homes benefit too.

“We have listened very carefully to what industry, consumer groups, and other organisations have told us. Broad support for a managed, tested and careful introduction of the Green Deal fits exactly with our objective to provide an excellent customer experience from day one and a market where a range of new players can readily participate.

“I am determined to make sure that, in addition to creating huge opportunities for Green Deal providers and businesses along with thousands of new jobs, this new market in energy efficiency will deliver the very best deal for consumers.”

More details see: http://www.uswitch.com/green-deal/

York’s Sport Clubs open their doors for a fitter city

The largest number of sports club in York to host open days have been put on the starting blocks by City of York Council to help get more people fitter and healthier as part of the York Gold 2012 summer of sporting activities.

Starting shortly after the Olympic Torch visits the city on 19 and 20 June, the programme of open days has been awarded the Inspire Mark by the London Organising Committee of the Olympic Games (LOCOG) for its innovation and inclusivity. (more…)