What’s on in York: Sky Ride Local from Energise?

Sky rideCity of York Council is encouraging residents who have been inspired by a summer of sport and want to take on a challenge to get out and about on their bikes and explore York and the surrounding area on a free Sky Ride Local challenge ride.

British Cycling and Sky, in partnership with City of York Council, have scheduled a series of Sky Ride Local rides in York for 2016. The rides are guided by British Cycling Ride Leaders along scenic local routes and pitched at three different levels.

The first challenge ride will set off from Energise Leisure Centre on Sunday 7 August at 10am. The 23 mile ride will follow a circular route taking in Tadcaster and Bolton Percy.

More challenge rides will take place on:Cyclists and yellow flowers

  • 14 August – Energise Leisure Centre – challenging (23 miles)
  • 21 August – Energise Leisure Centre – challenging (23 miles)

Further rides will cater for complete beginners with easy going rides and medium rides allowing people to find a ride that suits their ability.

Breeze Women’s only lead rides also take place regularly in and around York for all abilities and with Ride Social ‘Britain’s biggest social cycling network’, there has never been more opportunities to get riding!

To register for a free guided bike ride, to see the full calendar of up and coming rides or find out more about getting into cycling, visit:www.goskyride.com/York
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What’s on in York: Walk to Jog

Various Venues : Tue 24 May & Wed 8 Jun :

6.30pm – : £10

May _24Walk 2JogDue to the hugely popular programmes already delivered we have two new ‘Walk 2 Jog’ Courses now available for bookings, including the next step of a 5k to 10k course.

We are running the sequel to Walk to Jog again this year of a 5k to 10k course of 9 weeks. This longer distance course offers ideal progression for anyone wanting to increase their jogging distance.

  • Every Tuesday beginning 24th May at 6.30pm from Rowntree Park.

The course costs £9 for all 9 weeks. Again, that is just £1 per session.

The next Walk 2 Jog is a progressive 10 week programme that will take you from a power walk on week one to a 5km Jog on week ten. The course is designed for all abilities and we welcome all regardless of past experience.

Following the success of current Walk to Jog session in Acomb, we will be running another session. The course details are as follows,

  • Every Wednesday beginning 8th June at 6.30pm from Energise (Acomb), Meeting next to the cycle parking.

The course costs £10 for all ten weeks. That is just £1 per session. Those that complete the course will receive a free t-shirt.

If you would like to participate please contact Hannah via email hannah.higginson@york.gov.uk and include which course you would like to attend.

What’s on: Get yourself back into Netball

Date: Wed 6 Jan onwards
Time: 7.00pm – 7.55pm
Venue: Energise
Cost: £3 a session
Open to everyone from the age of 11 years+

Netball Image 1Come along and take part in our netball sessions, a fun and social way to keep fit and play netball in the comfort of our hall.

No need to book, just turn up on the day and pay at reception. The coach is Megan Lewis. The session is aimed at people who have not played for a while and want to get back into the game while having  a bit of fun while excising. 

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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 swimming pools attendance figures shock

Yearsley still second most popular facility in City

Waterworld - closed by the York Council this month

Waterworld – closed by the York Council this month

Figures released today, by the York Council under Freedom of Information legislation, cast further doubts on the wisdom of jettisoning the Yearsley swimming pool.

The figures reveal that last year Yearsley had 118,611 users compared to 110,231 at Waterworld (which has now been closed by the Council) and fewer again at the new York Sports Village.

The latter, in its first full year of operation, had 110,218 customers making it the least popular swimming facility in the City.

Swimming pool attendances and subsidy costs Click to enlarge

Swimming pool attendances and subsidy costs Click to enlarge

The new pool does, however, seem to have attracted some additional customers as total swims in the City (excluding private and school based pools) rose from 508,125 in 2012/13 to 522,65 last year.

The figures also reveal that swimming receives a £1/2 million subsidy each year from taxpayers. That is relatively modest comparison to historical investment levels.

While Yearsley is the most expensive pool to operate, it doesn’t enjoy any cross subsidy from other activities – like fitness and studio work – which accounted for most of the income at the other pool sites.

Without the cooperation of Nestle, who own the surrounding land, it would be impossible to increase the range of sports catered for at the Yearsley site.

All in all, closing both Waterworld and Yearsley and replacing the facilities with a single – sports village style  clone pool – does increasingly seem to be a major misjudgement by the Council.

Residents are clearly looking for a wider range of water activities and locations in the City.