What’s on in York: Knights rugby half term activities

Fun In The Sun – May Half-Term Camps

Join us this May half term as we able to offer 4 park sessions for local children to enjoy. Fun, engaging, multi activity sessions based in the local Parks and green spaces.

Designed to help keep you fit and active during the school holidays, with each participant receiving a free drink and snack at each session. These sessions have been made possible through Ward Committee funding who we would like to thank for their continued support.

Booking is essential with limited availability. Please see each individual link below to book on an event.

Event 1 – Westfield Primary Community School

When: Wednesday 2nd June Time: 10:00 – 11:30

Where: Westfield Primary Community School, Askham Ln, YO24 3HP

About: Free fun for 5 years and upwards. Includes a free snack and drink

Cost: Free of charge           To Book please click here              Note: Advance booking is essential.

Event 2 – Woodthorpe Green Play Area

When: Wednesday 2nd June   Time: 2:00 – 3:30pm

Where: Woodthorpe Green Play Area, Summerfield Rd, YO24 2RU.

About: Free fun for 5 years and upwards. Includes a free snack and drink

Cost: Free of charge          

To Book please click here             

Note: Advance booking is essential.

Event 3 – Oaken Grove playing area

Friday 4th June            Time: 10:00 – 11:30

Where: Oaken Grove playing area, YO32 3QW

About: Free fun for 5 years and upwards. Includes a free snack and drink

Cost: Free of charge                      

To Book please click here 

Note: Advance booking is essential.

Event 4 – Acomb Green.

Friday 4th June            Time: 2:00 – 3:30pm

Where: Acomb green. Acomb Green, Acomb, YO26 5LR

About: Free fun for 5 years and upwards. Includes a free snack and drink

Cost: Free of charge                      

To Book please click here             

Note: Advance booking is essential.

If you have any questions, please email a.prentis@yorkcityknights.com or call the Knights office on 01904 876 527.

Turning into a pantomime?

It is understandable that residents want to know when the £42 million community stadium complex will be fully open for business.
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Taxpayers will point out that around £10 million of the costs have come out of their pockets.

Originally scheduled for a 2012 opening, delays dogged the project. Even after contracts had been signed for a June 2019 opening “labour shortages” meant that the actual stadium opening was put back to the autumn 2019 and then to the Spring 2020.

It seemed that the dates were firming up as the IMAX cinema admitted its first paying customers before Christmas while an excitable gaggle of Councillors started tweeted pictures of the “finished” stadium.

The Knights Rugby Club said that their first home fixture of the new season would take place at the stadium on 9th February. The stadium was also set to host a big “double header” with Super League clubs Toronto and Wakefield facing off on the 22nd March.

Questions at a York City supporters forum led to a statement from an executive councillor last week who confirmed that a transport plan was in place. It would get large crowds to the out of town, 8000 capacity, stadium site. (Currently, York City matches attract around 2500 spectators)

However, it remained unclear whether joint entry/transport tickets would be sold and information about public transport capacity was scarce, given that the opening (rugby) fixture was less than a month away.

A “trial” dinner event was then cancelled, and the Knights said that their 9th February fixture might have to be moved to Bootham Crescent.

We think that the stadium will be an asset for the City. When the interest level stabilises, after the first couple of games, transport arrangements should also be adequate.

We are less convinced about the viability of some of the other elements of the development not least the additional swimming pool.

But we are, where we are.

The Council and its contractors should now be able to give a clear programme of actions leading up to firm commissioning and hand-over dates.

NB. Local side York Acorn Rugby got off to a winning start on Saturday in their cup match against Hammersmith Hills Hoist. The score line was 36 points to 14. There were no problems accommodating the crowd at the Thanet Road Stadium (!)

Details of York Council football club loan published

A response to a Freedom of Information request has finally forced the Council to reveal the terms of its £350,000 loan to York City FC agreed in 2014. 

The loan was secured by a legal charge on the Bootham Crescent ground.

The loan involved annual repayments of £35,000.  

The balance of the loan is payable immediately if the Club sell Bootham Crescent. It is understood that a house builder still has an option to purchase the site when the football and rugby clubs move to the new LNER stadium in 2020.

In addition the Football Club has agreed to pay £2 million towards the cost of building the new stadium.

There is a legal charge on the club’s assets to cover this liability.

The Council continue to refuse to publish the valuations that they have undertaken on Bootham Crescent.

They also refuse to say how much rent they expect to receive from the football club at Monks Cross (the stadium part of the development is expected to cost around £16 million of the total £47 million cost of the whole development).

The council has confirmed that, once all processes have been complete, it intends to release the lease agreement with York City into the public domain.

Empty Monks Cross restaurants could cost taxpayers £1.4 million

The Community Stadium saga has taken a new turn, with the Council admitting that it may not get the full £3.8 million which the developer has promised to pay for land allocated for three restaurants.

The units are unlet and if they remain so on the opening date, then the Council could receive £1.4 million less for its interest.

June 2019 Council report

The Council says that discussions are ongoing with several potential tenants.

A report the Councils Executive confirms that building work on the stadium should be completed in September. The buildings would then be handed over to the operators who will be responsible for obtaining a safety certificate. The Council claims that it still opens the stadium will be operational in October but that seems optimistic to many observers.

In the meantime, the Knights Rugby team continue to play their matches at Bootham Crescent. The Council plans to increase their subsidy to the club from £30,000 to £45,000 to compensate for the delays in moving to Monks Cross.

The stadium project cost £22.6 million during the 2018/19 financial year