Minutes:
The Senior Health and Community Relations Officer provided a verbal update regarding the YMCA Community and Activity Village. Marketing material provided by YMCA was tabled for Members information.
The Senior Health and Community Relations Officer provided an update on the success of the delivery of phase one and the expected timescale for phase two. The Community and Activity Village had experienced significant growth in usage since opening phase one with two full sized 3G’s and an athletics track and a temporary provision for changing, on site administration and storage pending the development of phase 2. Members were informed of the good news around recruitment with a number of posts being secured and filled. In the long term there would be further career opportunities through the project.
The football facility was reported to be fully booked for Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday evenings (core hours). Pitches were well used outside of core hours and the YMCA was developing new initiatives to provide football for females, people with disabilities and over 55’s. Football pitches were also booked for recreation and social purposes. The YMCA was working closely with Nottingham Forest Community Trust and the District Council to actively encourage children and young people to attend the community and activity village on a Friday evening to participate in the Kick’s programme as a diversionary activity, this session was free to all children and young people.
Work was being undertaken with the Magnus Academy’s ‘You Can Do Sport’ partnership which offered a post 16 Extended Diploma in Sport with a focus on football and uses the facilities three afternoons per week. This programme also included coaching and refereeing in sport qualifications. RHP Football Club used the pitches for all club training and fixtures and were delighted with the provision. Newark Town Football Club First team had indicated that it would move to the community and activity village in August 2019 in preparation for the 2019/20 season. The club were using the pitches for training. A number of local clubs and groups were also using the sites pitches.
Newark Athletics club had moved to the facility and were utilising the track alongside other local running clubs which had booked track time. Sky Sports had also undertaken some filming at the facility regarding fitness for boxing through athletics on the running track.
Work was also ongoing in respect of adjustments to the lighting in order that the impact of the new facilities would not create adverse neighbour nuisance issues in terms of light pollution.
The scheme was actively being progressed to phase two, the main Hub building, with an estimated Autumn 2020 completion date and work was on going in terms of developing submissions for grant funding to assist with the delivery of the full offer.
The Senior Health and Community Relations Officer suggested that representatives of the YMCA be invited to a future meeting of the Leisure & Environment Committee to provide an update.
A Member sought clarification regarding whether a similar scheme would be introduced for Sherwood. The Senior Health and Community Relations Officer confirmed that he was aware that the YMCA had an ambition to reach out to the wider community which included the Sherwood area of the district. The offer would develop over time to provide services across a broader base such as those services traditionally associated with YMCA’s which could extend to supporting independent living in the district. However, YMCA’s initial aim was to deliver the community and activity village and initiatives to improve the health and wellbeing of local people. They were also keen to work in partnership with the district council to raise levels of aspiration amongst young people and to improve social mobility across the district.
AGREED (unanimously) that:
(a) the verbal update be noted; and
(b) a representative of the YMCA be invited to a future meeting of the Leisure & Environment Committee.