Woodbourn Stadium: Young athletes 'travelling to Leeds' due to state of Sheffield athletics stadium

They spoke out as figureheads of Sheffield’s athletics scene met to discuss Sheffield Hallam University City Athletics Stadium, formerly known as Woodbourn Stadium, and the future of athletics in the city.

The meeting, which took place at The Library Lounge in Attercliffe on February 3, was chaired by David Slater, owner of workspace company Spaces, and attended by MP and former sports minister Richard Carborn and a number of athletes.

The stadium was taken over by the university and underwent a £325,000 renovation in 2013, replacing the Don Valley stadium which was demolished in the same year.

However, many people believe that the stadium, despite its refurbishment, is not fit for purpose.

Young athletes at the meeting complained of the ‘toilets being blocked off so we can’t even go to the toilet at training’, as well as the indoor track being out of use, no adequate fencing around the outdoor track, making it unsafe, and restrictions as to when the outdoor track can be used, among other issues.

As a result of this, promising athletes in Sheffield are having to pay to train at private clubs outside of the city or even travel to Leeds Beckett University facilities, the meeting heard.

David Slater said: “The east of Sheffield is a focal point for athletics. We have the EIS (English Institute of Sport), Woodbourn Stadium and Sheffield Hallam University based here. Sheffield is the fourth largest city in the UK but we still don’t have a team that can compete at national level.”

Athletics in Sheffield is at a turning point, with clubs like Sheffield AC and Hallamshire Harriers facing the risk of being left behind permanently at a sub-national level, the meeting heard, or with regeneration having the potential to become one of the UK’s biggest athletics hubs.

Mr Carborn said: “We can’t look at this as just an athletics issue, we have to look at the stadium as a wider economic model.”

At the meeting there were also calls for two major athletics clubs – Sheffield AC and Hallamshire Harriers – to join forces and become one umbrella club for all athletics in Sheffield.

Some at the meeting claimed that neither club wants to turn its back on the history of its individual club.

But others thought joining those two spearheads of athletics in Sheffield could be exactly the change needed to put the city at the forefront of UK athletics.

David Slater said: “Sheffield athletics has gone south ever since Jessica Ennis crossed the finish line in 2012.”

Sheffield Hallam University said the pavilion, which includes the changing facilities and toilets, is managed by Sheffield City Council and is not part of the University’s lease.

It said the council is working on plans to refurbish the pavilion, with ‘significant investment’ expected over the coming year.

A university spokesperson added: “The university continues to manage the City Athletics Stadium on behalf of Sheffield City Council.

“The facilities were recently assessed and gained TrackMark accreditation, UK Athletics’ quality assurance scheme for outdoor track and field facilities.

“We continue to work with Sheffield City Council to support their work to improve the Pavilion Building at the site.”