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Community Stadium Plans Take Another Step Forward

Posted on Tuesday, 28 July 2009 12:18PM by Wakefield Wildcats Media Department
Community Stadium Plans Take Another Step Forward

The future of Wakefield Wildcats as a Super League club took another step in the right direction with the news that the final stadium design plans for a Community Stadium are set to be finalised in the next few weeks.



It is the latest in a line of announcements that bodes well for Trinity’s next application for a Super League franchise in around a year’s time.

Wakefield announced back in April their plans to leave their Hearwell Stadium home at Belle Vue to relocate to a new state of the art 12,000 capacity Community Stadium off junction 30 of the M62 near Stanley in conjunction with Yorkcourt Properties and Wakefield District Council.

An artist’s impression of what the stadium may look like was presented to the club by developers Yorkcourt Properties at the end of last week.

Chairman of the Stadium Sub Committee, Sir Rodney Walker and the other sub committee members, as well as Wildcats chairman Ted Richardson took, took a tour around the Leigh Sporting Village last Friday- a site which the new Community Stadium will be based upon.

At a meeting of the club’s Community Trust trustees last week it was decided that land granted by the council as an asset to be used towards borrowing cash for the stadium would be put into the control of the Community Trust.

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An artist's impression of what the Community Stadium may look like
 

The Deputy Leader of Wakefield Council, Cllr Denise Jeffery, said the support matters were being discussed as a matter of urgency.

“We are working with all three Rugby League clubs in the district and have been looking at innovative ways to support them.”

“We are now using council land assets to help them realise their aspirations and to have facilities fit for Super League status.”

Cllr Jeffery continued, “We have agreed to give the clubs 12 months to develop their plans and then we will review progress.”

“Rugby league is part of the district’s rich culture and heritage and we, as a Council, are doing all we can to make sure our clubs have the facilities they need to be successful.”

The news was also welcomed by Stadium Developer Colin Mackie.  “It’s great news that the land has been placed in control of the Community Trust,” enthused Mackie.

“It can be used as an asset and gives even greater security to the plans for the Community Stadium.”

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Picture on the pitch at Leigh Sporting Village from left to right- Francis Stephenson (Wakefield Wildcats General Manager), Ted Richardson (Wakefield Wildcats Chairman), Diane Maskill (Wakefield Wildcats Executive Director), Mary Creagh MP (Member of Parliament for Wakefield), David Hinchliffe (Former MP for Wakefield and Stadium sub-committee member), Sir Rodney Walker (Chairman of the Stadium sub-committee), Andrew Piatt (Yorkcourt Properties), Colin Mackie (Yorkcourt Properties)


In addition to this week’s off the field developments, the Wildcats are currently on course to have their best ever finish in the summer era, whilst the club’s Academy Grade head the Gillette Academy Championship table after a comprehensive win over second placed Castleford last Thursday.

Ten youngsters were this month signed onto part-time professional contracts after being impressed by Wildcats ethos, as explained by Chairman Richardson.

“The club has been making strides on and off the field this season and none more so than with the stadium project,” said Richardson.

“It is vital to the future of the club and indeed to the city as a whole that Wakefield Wildcats remain a Super League club and delivering a stadium worthy of the competition is a huge part of that.”

He continued, “The vision of this club is to be the best of the best in everything that we do, and that starts at scholarship level, up through the first team, to the behind the scenes staff and of course the stadium.”

Richardson says that due consideration of meeting the cost of the stadium has been taken into account, and that the club is considerate of the effect of the current economic climate on their supporters.

“We’ve taken the move to set season ticket prices at the same level they were in 2007.  Money is tight for people at the moment and sport is a good way of forgetting all the stresses and strains of day-to-day life.”

“And in order to do so sport needs to be affordable.  Rugby league was named as the best value for money sport in the country and we believe the price structure we have put in place puts us up there with the best.”

“We’re an established Super League club with a very good chance of finishing in the top six clubs in the country.  When you consider that in 2007 we had just survived relegation and now to have those prices again, we think, is something the people of Wakefield will really want to take advantage of.”

Last week the Rugby Football League issued a warning to five Super League clubs about the importance of upgrading facilities or moving to a new stadium, and Richardson welcomed the letter.

“We knew after the last round of applications that having a new stadium was vital to the 2010 applications, and we are on course to deliver concrete proof of the progress we have made to the RFL.”

He added, “The letter was a reminder to all the clubs of the importance of having new stadia and we welcome that as an indication of where this sport wants to be.”

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Danny Brough and James Stosic celebrate the memorable last gasp win against Harlequins RL

Wakefield’s play-off aspirations could well go down to the wire, with the remaining home games against Celtic Crusaders and the final day visit from Hull KR both set to be pivotal.

Richardson said of the run-in: “Our season to date has been fantastic and we’ve had some pretty dramatic finishes at the Hearwell Stadium in the last couple of home matches.”

“We had a thrilling win against Harlequins; we narrowly lost out to Leeds in a classic match; and now we look forward to playing Celtic Crusaders in August with Britain’s Got Talent Winners Diversity performing.”

“We then finish with the Yorkshire derby against Hull KR on the final day which we hope will be an afternoon where we can all celebrate making the play-offs.”

“I would say to anyone who hasn’t been to a game yet this season that now really is the time to get down to watch this team.”

“We’ve two fantastic games to end the season at home, and with Diversity performing as well we’re very excited about the remainder of Super League XIV.”

To see more of the visit to the Leigh Sporting Village last Friday watch this week's 'Boots 'n' All on Sky Sports this Wednesday at 6pm.

Tickets for the August 16th clash against the Crusaders where Diversity will be performing have been set at a flat rate of just £10 if bought before 4pm on Saturday 15th August.

For more information on tickets contact the Wildcats Superstore on 01924 211611.
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