09/03/10 - Spartans move back to their roots

A rugby club and a community group are to share a new base when their refurbished £600,000 & 39;home& 39; is officially opened this week.

Spartans rugby club and the Kingsholm and Wotton neighbourhood partnership will be sharing the former YMCA building in Sebert Street - which has undergone a complete makeover.

The scheme has also involved Gloucestershire County Council which owned the building and nearby High School for Girls in Denmark Road.

The county council  has leased the building to the city council in order that they could carry out the work . The school is allowing the rugby club to play matches on one of their sports pitches.

The pitch had fallen into disuse as broken fences had allowed dog walkers onto the land - making it unsafe for pupils to use. Now as part of the project the fencing has been replaced meaning both the school and the club can use it.

The Spartans former clubhouse at Archdeacon Meadow was needed as part of the St Oswald& 39;s Park regeneration scheme.

City Council Leader, Paul James, commented: "Spartans rugby club has historic links to this part of the city and this move brings them back into the heart of Kingsholm."

" This is the most fantastic example of partnership working that will bring benefits for the club, the neighbourhood partnership and pupils at a nearby school."

"As a council one of our aims is to build stronger communities and this is a project that demonstrates exactly what we are aiming to achieve."

Cllr Mark Hawthorne, Cabinet member for regeneration, Gloucestershire County Council: "It& 39;s good to see everyone working together. I am glad the county council could help the rugby club, the neighbourhood partnership and the school. This project shows just what good partnership working can do."

 ENDS

9th March 2010