Interesting news for wakey's 3 teams

[tms]

https://citizen.wakefield.gov.uk/districts-rugby-league-clubs-set-for-a-6m-boost/?utm_content=bufferf72ca&utm_medium=social&utm_source=twitter.com&utm_campaign=buffer

[Scubby]

2 minutes ago, POR said:

https://citizen.wakefield.gov.uk/districts-rugby-league-clubs-set-for-a-6m-boost/?utm_content=bufferf72ca&utm_medium=social&utm_source=twitter.com&utm_campaign=buffer

Even if this allows the 3 clubs to pour resources into the community game in the area it will make a huge difference. I played for a few clubs in the area as a young fella and only one exists now. Very timely.

[The Daddy]

This is what I could like to see more of in the UK, more support from local authorities for RL and sport in general. You see this a lot in France but not here, so I was pleasantly surprised to see this. 

[Griff]

I'm waiting for the debate on whether Featherstone and Castleford are in Wakefield.

[wasginger]

It's only Knottingley that doesn't seem to be in the Wakefield Met.But that's another story.

 

[Damien]

That's fantastic.

[Wollo Wollo Wayoo]

1 hour ago, Griff said:

I'm waiting for the debate on whether Featherstone and Castleford are in Wakefield.

The council is the MDC.  Wakefield as a City died about 50 years ago.

[Sir Kevin Sinfield]

37 minutes ago, Wollo Wollo Wayoo said:

The council is the MDC.  Wakefield as a City died about 50 years ago.

What was Wakefield like in the halcyon days of the 1970’s? 

[Wholly Trinity]

9 minutes ago, Sir Kevin Sinfield said:

What was Wakefield like in the halcyon days of the 1970’s? 

It was the administrative hub of West Yorkshire and into the 80s it was the nightlife centre of Yorkshire with buses coming over from the dark side of the pennines. 

That was all before some money decided all this should be moved to Leeds and now it's just a dormitory commuter belt for greater Leeds. 

What was Leeds like in Wakefield's heyday before the massive investments of the 90s?

[Wollo Wollo Wayoo]

1 hour ago, Sir Kevin Sinfield said:

What was Wakefield like in the halcyon days of the 1970’s? 

If you were around in the 70's you'd know that there were no halcyon days.  If you weren't then have a read of Dominic Sandbrook's Seasons in the Sun.  

  

[Tommygilf]

45 minutes ago, Wholly Trinity said:

It was the administrative hub of West Yorkshire and into the 80s it was the nightlife centre of Yorkshire with buses coming over from the dark side of the pennines. 

That was all before some money decided all this should be moved to Leeds and now it's just a dormitory commuter belt for greater Leeds. 

What was Leeds like in Wakefield's heyday before the massive investments of the 90s?

Its a silly argument that and you're on a hiding to nothing. Leeds had been bigger since the Victorian era and the decline of Wakefield as a city during the period you describe is far more linked to the collapse of the main industry in the area (which affected Leeds far far less). Combined with the split of the West Riding into West and South Yorkshire, Wakefield's central administrative role made less sense vs Leeds as the growing and most accessible hub of the county. Denying that fallacy is why West Yorkshire hasn't been able to access the Mayoral funding the likes of Sheffield and Greater Manchester have. Despite that, West Yorkshire Police are still Headquartered in Wakey (Normanton now though training is in Carr Gate).

Wakefield has been slow to reinvent itself (in fairness partially because of the impact of the collapsed local economy in the 1980s). For years it has positioned itself as "Leeds but not as good". Thankfully that appears to be changing as the city now becomes a hub of independent/small scale restaurants and commerce. As I understand, there are plans to reinvigorate the town centre with the worst buildings of the 70s being taken down and the historic hidden gems being allowed to take centre stage. The nightlife is still strong but not as strong as before - the bus trips don't happen but culturally they're less likely to.

[Tommygilf]

Very interesting proposal. The cynic in me thinks this is being proposed because the Council have supported Wakefield more in the recent past and will do in the immediate future and so this will go some way to "rebalance".

I hope the clubs make the most of the money

[Wholly Trinity]

49 minutes ago, Tommygilf said:

Very interesting proposal. The cynic in me thinks this is being proposed because the Council have supported Wakefield more in the recent past and will do in the immediate future and so this will go some way to "rebalance".

I hope the clubs make the most of the money

Seriously? Peter Casman Box supported Wakefield? Or do you recently, since he stood down?

[Wholly Trinity]

55 minutes ago, Tommygilf said:

Its a silly argument that and you're on a hiding to nothing. Leeds had been bigger since the Victorian era and the decline of Wakefield as a city during the period you describe is far more linked to the collapse of the main industry in the area (which affected Leeds far far less). Combined with the split of the West Riding into West and South Yorkshire, Wakefield's central administrative role made less sense vs Leeds as the growing and most accessible hub of the county. Denying that fallacy is why West Yorkshire hasn't been able to access the Mayoral funding the likes of Sheffield and Greater Manchester have. Despite that, West Yorkshire Police are still Headquartered in Wakey (Normanton now though training is in Carr Gate).

Wakefield has been slow to reinvent itself (in fairness partially because of the impact of the collapsed local economy in the 1980s). For years it has positioned itself as "Leeds but not as good". Thankfully that appears to be changing as the city now becomes a hub of independent/small scale restaurants and commerce. As I understand, there are plans to reinvigorate the town centre with the worst buildings of the 70s being taken down and the historic hidden gems being allowed to take centre stage. The nightlife is still strong but not as strong as before - the bus trips don't happen but culturally they're less likely to.

Leeds was a dump in the 70s, especially the nightlife, where spit and sawdust ruled. It's always been big. The removal of admin from Wakefield made it irrelevant. 

The police are no longer in the city. The establishment of WMDC and subsequent spreading of funds was another blow to the city.

Is Leeds more accessible than Wakefield? The city centre road system is terrible. Maybe when the trolley bus opens. 

Mining closures hit the Wakefield District hard, but Leeds' industrial base was also devastated. 

I've not been out in Wakefield for 10 years plus, so I don't know the current levels, but driving through on a weekend evening, the streets look pretty dead.

Wakefield must reinvent itself, but the changes in retail make it an uncertain future. 

[Tommygilf]

4 hours ago, Wholly Trinity said:

Seriously? Peter Casman Box supported Wakefield? Or do you recently, since he stood down?

I know what you're saying, but for all Box's support, Cas haven't actually got anything seriously material out of it (save for the other clubs getting nothing too).

[Wholly Trinity]

2 hours ago, Tommygilf said:

I know what you're saying, but for all Box's support, Cas haven't actually got anything seriously material out of it (save for the other clubs getting nothing too).

Yeah, I guess it depends on your level of paranoia regarding Cllr. Box.

You could say that while he was in charge, no club would get a new stadium unless, and until, Cas got one. I'm sure it's just coincidence that progress was only made on Trinity's venture(s) when Cas' projects were running smoothly - and now he's gone, things have changed.

It's not just the RL clubs, but also spending on the city & 5 towns. Things were done on 'equality' rather than need, opportunity or ambition. 

[Kirmonds pouch]

10 hours ago, Wollo Wollo Wayoo said:

If you were around in the 70's you'd know that there were no halcyon days.  If you weren't then have a read of Dominic Sandbrook's Seasons in the Sun.  

  

Absolutely brilliant book, in fact the whole series of decade based books are brilliant.

Sanderbrook is one of the most neutral of historical writers. He’s not a Tory but better still he’s not a pocket socialist who reimagines a working class Camelot, no soppy them were the days ######.

if Wakefield had a Halcyon wrong it was the sixties with a bit of a reignite in the 80’s but let’s not kid ourselves it was never the Kings road Chelsea.

[Tommygilf]

34 minutes ago, Wholly Trinity said:

Yeah, I guess it depends on your level of paranoia regarding Cllr. Box.

You could say that while he was in charge, no club would get a new stadium unless, and until, Cas got one. I'm sure it's just coincidence that progress was only made on Trinity's venture(s) when Cas' projects were running smoothly - and now he's gone, things have changed.

It's not just the RL clubs, but also spending on the city & 5 towns. Things were done on 'equality' rather than need, opportunity or ambition. 

I agree believe me I'm no fan of the fiefdom Mr Box ran. Like I said, I think it was almost entirely ineffectual and hampered growth. 

I think the last point is pertinent though, in relation to your earlier point made about Leeds. Effectively what you are saying is prioritised funding was unfair for Leeds but would be right for Wakefield (I'm not disagreeing on the latter point).

This new fund will be interesting. At £2million, iirc, its not huge sums, but coupled with serious private investment it could be massive.

[Tommygilf]

9 hours ago, Wholly Trinity said:

Leeds was a dump in the 70s, especially the nightlife, where spit and sawdust ruled. It's always been big. The removal of admin from Wakefield made it irrelevant. 

The police are no longer in the city. The establishment of WMDC and subsequent spreading of funds was another blow to the city.

Is Leeds more accessible than Wakefield? The city centre road system is terrible. Maybe when the trolley bus opens. 

Mining closures hit the Wakefield District hard, but Leeds' industrial base was also devastated. 

I've not been out in Wakefield for 10 years plus, so I don't know the current levels, but driving through on a weekend evening, the streets look pretty dead.

Wakefield must reinvent itself, but the changes in retail make it an uncertain future. 

Agreed, so the 90s spending was caused by, rather than being a cause of, the historic rise of Leeds in relation to its neighbours.

The police are HQ in Normanton, they have their training centre at Carr Gate, and despite selling/closing 2 significant plots at Bishopgarth and Wood Street, Wakefield still has a city centre police station (unlike Leeds!).

Leeds in terms of public transport is absolutely the centre. Leading in a poor field maybe in terms of a mass transit system, but all the main trainlines and bus routes come through Leeds. I know through my current work that its easier to change in Leeds to get from Wakefield to another part of West Yorkshire like Huddersfield, Dewsbury or Bradford. The new bus map they have come out with is obviously Leeds centric too. I'm not saying its a good thing but Leeds has been more important than Shakey for well over a century.

Leeds was of course impacted by deindustrialisation, but not on the same scale.

[Tommygilf]

10 minutes ago, Kirmonds pouch said:

Absolutely brilliant book, in fact the whole series of decade based books are brilliant.

Sanderbrook is one of the most neutral of historical writers. He’s not a Tory but better still he’s not a pocket socialist who reimagines a working class Camelot, no soppy them were the days ######.

if Wakefield had a Halcyon wrong it was the sixties with a bit of a reignite in the 80’s but let’s not kid ourselves it was never the Kings road Chelsea.

He does a really good history podcast with Tom Holland (who he regularly ridicules).

[Sir Kevin Sinfield]

11 hours ago, Wollo Wollo Wayoo said:

If you were around in the 70's you'd know that there were no halcyon days.  If you weren't then have a read of Dominic Sandbrook's Seasons in the Sun.  

  

I wasn’t around in the 70’s

[JohnM]

The Rugby League Resilience Fund report will be discussed by Wakefield Council’s Cabinet at a meeting on Monday 29 November at 10.30am. The meeting can be watched live or later on the Council’s website.

will Jackie Weaver be there?

[Kirmonds pouch]

11 hours ago, Tommygilf said:

Very interesting proposal. The cynic in me thinks this is being proposed because the Council have supported Wakefield more in the recent past and will do in the immediate future and so this will go some way to "rebalance".

I hope the clubs make the most of the money

Stunning ignorance of Wakefield politics but I expect no less from the no nothing experts on here.

Wakefield is a Tory town these days, Labours power base is Castleford and surrounding areas. Box built his entire career on making sure that his power base came first.

That’s why Box happily renaged on Newmarket, something he wouldn’t have done if it had been Cas.

 

 

[Tommygilf]

6 minutes ago, Kirmonds pouch said:

Stunning ignorance of Wakefield politics but I expect no less from the no nothing experts on here.

Wakefield is a Tory town these days, Labours power base is Castleford and surrounding areas. Box built his entire career on making sure that his power base came first.

That’s why Box happily renaged on Newmarket, something he wouldn’t have done if it had been Cas.

I literally live in Outwood and have seen the transformation of the political landscape, less of the 'stunning ignorance' matey.

[Griff]

39 minutes ago, Tommygilf said:

I literally live in Outwood and have seen the transformation of the political landscape, less of the 'stunning ignorance' matey.

Not sure what you mean by "literally" there, Tommy.   You either live there or you don't.