Posted on 15th Jun
NEWARK has a vibrant football scene at both youth and senior level — and now Newark and Sherwood District Council, in partnership with YMCA Newark and Sherwood, is making a firm commitment to not only strengthen community football provision in the district but to also provide a venue for larger scale cultural events.
Funded by both the council and YMCA, new stands and seating will be installed at the YMCA Community and Activity Village, Bowbridge Road, Newark to achieve three things.
Firstly, by introducing the stands, other events and activities can take place at the Village, on the scale of events such as the Newark Festival. Utilising periods when the pitches are not used for football, the Village will be able to host more activities and events for the residents of, and visitors to, the district.
Secondly, the seating will allow the Village to welcome more significant footballing opportunities to the district, such as county championship matches that require a higher-level pitch provision than the district currently has.
Finally, the seating could allow the ground to be regraded to a level that allows up to step five football to be played, future-proofing the facility
This announcement came before the YMCA is due to open its doors later this year after undergoing a major development that will see the Village become a hub for sports and community provision in Newark. The aim of the new seating installation is to further enhance the facilities with a view to widening the Village’s offer even further.
Coun David Lloyd, council leader, said: “The council and YMCA investment forms a significant part of our wider commitment to enhance sports and cultural facilities for the benefit of all our residents.
“It will be a great resource for the pitches to be used for a whole host of purposes when the new seating is installed.
“We are keen to build on the momentum and passion that has been so evident since the outbreak of the pandemic from a number of community groups as well as sports and cultural providers and individuals across the district.”
Todd Cauthorn, executive director, YMCA Newark and Sherwood, added: “We agree wholeheartedly in the value of raising the aspirations of local people in Newark through football and, as such, are deeply committed to elevating grassroots teams.
“Our charity has a responsibility to the community groups that have been with us from the beginning. This responsibility especially refers to younger teams and partner clubs, which have grown exponentially since our opening in 2018, and who are the YMCA Village’s priority clubs through our funding with the Football Foundation.”
A planning application for the additional stands has been made.
