Community Hub Case Study - Sunderland
Recently we’ve been sharing with you a series of articles, all linked back to our main Community Hub article. The next in this series focuses on not one but three community hubs, all created as part of one large project in Sunderland.
LK2; Designing Versatility
With an investment of £14.2 million from the Football Foundation, a £6.7 million contribution from Sunderland City Council and additional partnership funding we crafted three new multi-million-pound sporting facilities, utilising the biggest ever investment into a portfolio of grassroots sporting facilities in the North-East.
The funding was provided by the Football Foundation to ensure the sites were more than just football facilities. Allowing LK2 to draw on the success of previous projects, such as Rectory Park and Stamford, to design versatile hubs where members of the local community can come together and enjoy the space.
Between them the three hubs boast ten full-sized 3G artificial grass pitches as well as new and refurbished buildings on each site, housing cafes, changing rooms and social and educational spaces.
Unique Spaces for the Community
The three hubs; Downhill, Washington and Ford, each have a feature unique to them.
Downhill features a state of the art, 60 station gym and fitness studio, with personal trainers on hand to help members set and achieve fitness goals.
Ford Hub is able to host National League football games on its Stadia 3G pitch.
Washington opened in 2019 and one of its four 3G pitches is Rugby Union accredited. From its opening date in November to February 2020 it attracted 16,000 sign-ups, making it the most sought after facility of its kind in England at the time.
And all three hubs are able to offer space for children’s parties, kid’s football camps in the school holidays and walking football. Making them an intrinsic part of the community for all ages.
The Sunderland Hubs were delivered under the five-year Football Foundation Framework.
Grassroots and Community Groups
‘It was always LK2’s vision for these hubs to be places where people came together, whether for sport and fitness or social interaction. We’re pleased to see this vision borne out at all three locations, including them playing a key role in hosting the Russell Foster Youth League, one of the largest grassroots football leagues in the country.’ Adam Skidmore, Director LK2
With Leisure United Charitable Trust managing the hubs, we know they are working at the very heart of the communities they serve. The trust focuses on providing local communities with multiple facilities in one place, and actively encourages the use of their spaces for wellbeing groups and coffee mornings, as well as collecting for food banks and organising kit swap shops.
Your Community Hub
If you would like to learn more about LK2’s work in building Community Hubs and follow this mini-series, click here.
Or get in touch with us directly to learn more.