Feature Story
With York set to launch a new community stadium in the summer of 2019 and a host city for the Women’s Rugby League World Cup in 2021, how will the new community stadium be a hit for the city of York and its people?
This impressive new stadium will hold a capacity of 8,000 people for both the football and rugby games. It will also house a new IMAX with fourteen screens, a community hub, including a library, the community offices for York’s sports clubs, York Against Cancer retail unit and offices, NHS outpatient services, new swimming facilities, gym, dance studio and a sports hall with spectator seating, retail, restaurants, catering and hospitality areas.
The York Community Stadium was set to open earl summer but will now not be ready until late August. The stadium will be the home of York City Football Club and York City Knights. The complex is under construction in Huntington at the Vangarde Retail Park.
The delay in the stadium being ready means that games will continued to be played at Bootham Crescent until it is ready. The historic Bootham ground will then be demolished, and there are plans for housing in place.
York City FC fan Ian says, “It’s going to be a nice new ground for them, the functions will be better for the disabled people. They need to do it, because they’ve been meaning to move for years. The new ground is going to be too far for them, and pensioners aren’t going to be able to get there as easy. The club will benefit from the move, but definitely not the fans at the moment. The con is the distance, they’re moving to a busier shopping area, game days will be even busier for them, some won’t want to get the transport to get there.”
Both York City FC and the York City Knights rugby club play their home games at Bootham Crescent in the heart of the city and York City FC has done so since the historic ground was opened in August 1932. For many of the older generation of York City supporters Bootham Crescent is all they know, in moving to the new community stadium will be a shock to the system. Another thing to consider is the new out of town location. Currently with Bootham Crescent being easily accessed due to its proximity to the city centre, many supporters pre-game travel arrangements may drastically have to change, having to travel to Huntington, which could even mean some supporters may not want to make the journey every home game.
When asked on the move to the new stadium, this is what lifelong York City fan Phil had to say, “I think it’s shocking, I think putting it out of town is a bad move as transport links to it are poor, I don’t know how everyone is going to get there. Most football fans like a drink before a game, there’s nowhere to drink out there so that’s one of my main concerns. The ground (Bootham Crescent) is everything, its home, it always has been, I’ve been coming here since 1977, my grandfather came, my dad came here and losing this is going to be sad. My name is on a brick on that wall. I’ve given blood sweat and tears for this club, but I’ve had enough now. I won’t renew my season ticket for next season.”
The stadium will give both the players of the football and rugby clubs an uplifting feeling as they walk out onto the pitch at their new home, as well as lift the supporters of York City FC and York City Knights who can now spectate their local team in a brand spanking new arena, I mean who doesn’t like brand spanking new?
The stadium and complex, will give the City of York a buzz, sense of excitement and anticipation around the city as the countdown to the launch nears. It is always a big occasion when something new is launched and I’m sure the Community Stadium will be no different and will attract a large number of people. Not to mention that it’s another ‘thing to do’ when out and about with family or friends, with the new cinema launching too, and the addition of more retail and restaurants, this will also drive the revenue up.
Natalie, an employee of Frankie and Benny’s restaurant at Monk’s Cross Vangarde said, “It’ll make us busier, it’ll bring trade to the park and it will obviously bring more people to the area, I don’t necessarily think it will bring the right people and they are going to block the parking at my house. It’ll bring more industry, more economy, more jobs and better trade, as trade isn’t that great at the moment. I think it will create parking issues. I think it is a good thing, moving it from where it is already, the stadium is a good thing, I think moving it outside is a little bit better. It will cause teething problems, but when ironed out I think it will be a really good thing. I think we will benefit from it massively.”
Another exciting prospect surrounding the new community stadium is that it will be a host city for the Women’s Rugby League World Cup 2021, October-November. The bid was submitted by a consortium consisting of the council, University of York, York St. John, GLL, York City Knights and Make it York.
This should be an incredible event to be held in York, no doubt, just like the community stadium will create a buzz for both York City FC fans and York City Knight’s fans, to host Rugby League World Cup games in three years’ time, is a colossal feat, showing just how far York as a city has progressed and showing their ambition as a city. For one of the smaller cities in England, York certainly holds its own in competing with other big name cities, and so to win the bid is a milestone for the city of York.