York St John announces major acquisition of sports park and theatre
York St John
University has acquired the sports park on Haxby Road and the
Joseph Rowntree Theatre from Nestlé as part of a major
enhancement of its sports and performing arts facilities.
The name for the sports facilities was
unveiled as ‘York St John University Sports Centre Nestlé
Rowntree Park’ with the Joseph Rowntree Theatre name
retained. The purchase of the land to the north of Nestlé includes
playing fields, a bowling green, tennis courts and allotments. The
University intends to work with current users to enable them to
continue to benefit from the excellent facilities.
Paul Grimwood, CEO and Chairman Nestlé UK
& Ireland said of the deal:
“On the 150th anniversary of
Rowntree’s, we are delighted to entrust the legacy of the sports
park and the theatre to York St John University. The sports
park is one of the best sporting facilities in the city and the
University is in a strong position to not only maintain this high
standard but to enhance further for existing users, the local
community and students.”
Professor David Fleming, Vice Chancellor of York St John
University said:
“This acquisition will provide fantastic new
facilities for the University within a fifteen minute walk of the
campus and will build upon recent successes reflected by the
quality and popularity of our provision. These new facilities will
complement our investment in teaching resources, accommodation and
partnership activity.”
Nestlé felt York St John University were the
ideal fit for the sports park and theatre, ensuring even more
accessibility to the local community while sensitive to the legacy
created by the Rowntree’s family. The acquisition supports the
University’s strategy to build on the quality of its provision and
reputation, coupled with a commitment to continued community
engagement.
The acquisition is part of the University’s
longer term investment strategy. York St John University is one of
the city’s great success stories, contributing an estimated £51
million annually to the city’s economy and is an increasingly
popular choice for students. Applications for 2012 entry have risen
by 11%, which represents the highest growth amongst universities
based in the north of England. One of the fastest developing areas
of activity for York St John University is within health and life
sciences and the University has a long tradition of provision
within the performing arts. The new facilities will also bring
benefits to the whole student community, which has a strong record
for involvement in volunteering, partnership, club and society
activity.
York St John University and Nestlé have also
announced establishing the ‘Nestlé Scholarship’, an annual award
for a student who will receive funding to assist in their
study. More details will be made in the near future.
Dave Findlay, Vice President Student
Activities of York St John University Students’ Union said:
“The Students’ Union is really excited about
this enhancement to the facilities. We already excel in sport
activity and the new provision will improve our participation and
performance further. We have a fantastic reputation amongst our
sports clubs and societies for our community atmosphere and now
fixtures can be held on one site which will contribute
towards a stronger, more inclusive environment.”
Dan Shrimpton, Managing Director at Joseph
Rowntree Theatre said:
“The Joseph Rowntree Theatre Limited has spent
the last eleven years transforming the venue into a state of the
art performance space. We look forward to working with York St John
University and are delighted that the future of the theatre as a
fantastic venue for the community of York has been secured.”
The Joseph Rowntree Theatre is an art deco
style community performance space which celebrated its
75th anniversary in 2010. It was built by the Joseph Rowntree
Village Trust (now Joseph Rowntree Foundation) as a venue to
provide great quality, reasonably-priced entertainment for the
people of York. Today, now run by the Joseph Rowntree Theatre
Ltd, a registered charity, it is the venue of choice of more than
30 local performing groups, and is staffed by more than 150
passionate volunteer supporters, both front of house and backstage.
The huge range of shows produced by its hirers stretches from
musical theatre to ballet, opera to pantomime, and brass bands to
traditional drama. Over the past decade, more than £280,000
has been invested in the upgrading and upkeep of its facilities,
with full auditorium refurbishment, and fully up to date sound and
lighting systems.
The sports field land was bought in parts
between 1912 and 1915 and was previously part of Mille Crux farm,
the name meaning ‘thousand crosses’.
For further information please contact Amy Hall, PR
& Communications Officer on T: 01904 876466 or E:
a.hall@yorksj.ac.uk
