£2m cash injection from Newark's secured Towns Fund bid will add more facilities to state-of-the-art YMCA Community and Activity Village on Lord Hawke Way

d.churcher@newarkadvertiser.co.uk

Published: 07:00, 27 March 2021

A cash injection of £2m will add more facilities to a state-of-the-art community and activity village, as part of a government initiative to transform Newark.

Last month, Newark Towns Fund Board was awarded £25m to support projects for the regeneration of the town.

A total of £2m will be pumped into the YMCA Community and Activity Village on Lord Hawke Way, Newark, towards the next phase of its development.

Todd Cauthorn, executive director at YMCA Newark and Sherwood, said: “This deeply-valued funding marks another key puzzle piece for helping us move forward with putting spades in the ground to construct the village’s main building.

Further state-of-the-art facilities will be added to the YMCA Community and Activity Village. (45453887)

“Collaboration thrives at the heart of everything we deliver, and this scale of investment will certainly help consolidate our ambition to craft world-leading facilities for championing education, sports and socially responsible outreach initiatives.

“We want to nurture empowering community-led spaces whereby local people can come together and feel like they can belong, contribute and thrive as valued members of our society.

“We are incredibly grateful to Newark and Sherwood District Council for supporting our journey towards making YMCA’s community vision a reality for the people of Newark and its surrounding areas.”

Further state-of-the-art facilities will be added to the YMCA Community and Activity Village. (45453948)

The money will be used in the creation of the hub’s main building, which will feature facilities such as a multi-media digital suite, childcare provisions and a community café.

The development also includes a cycle track, Olympic-standard climbing centre and skatepark.

Outdoor sports facilities, including 3G football pitches, athletics track and multi-use games areas, have already been built and are open for community use.

Alongside contributions from other funding streams — from D2N2 funding to Triodos Bank community investment initiatives — the completed village aims to provide access to education, careers development, sports and leisure programmes and personal well-being support.

Further state-of-the-art facilities will be added to the YMCA Community and Activity Village. (45453877)

David Lloyd, leader of Newark and Sherwood District Council and co-chairman of the Newark Towns Fund Board, said: “I’m absolutely delighted that the YMCA is benefiting from Towns Fund investment, helping them on their way to delivering this hub of activity in the heart of Newark.

“Our residents need and deserve the very best facilities and the activity village will directly provide our local community with a new purpose-built environment that offers top quality services and support for young people, to help them reach their full potential.

“Furthermore, the project will create jobs, youth apprenticeships and transformational life opportunities, improving levels of social mobility, life skills and attainment of young people.”

Further state-of-the-art facilities will be added to the YMCA Community and Activity Village. (45453881)

Despite a year of government-imposed coronavirus restrictions, the YMCA still forged ahead with construction and last month started work on the village’s main building, with full completion on track for spring next year.

Other progress made during lockdown, including the launch of the outdoor multi-use games area, clearing of the bridleway and having one of the 3G community pitches professionally re-crumbed ahead of reopening.

The village remains closed in line with government national restrictions, but outdoor sporting facilities are set to re-open from early evenings on Monday.

The centre is scheduled to fully open from Monday, May 17.