Update on John Jenkins Stadium
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00:00 So Claire, the John Jenkins Stadium is taking shape. How do you think the project is going so far as we stand here now?
00:06 Well as you can see we're very nearly there with the pitches. We are using the community pitch for training which is great.
00:13 You know it's been a long journey. We started just before Covid. Covid impacted us hugely and then with everybody knows construction costs have just gone through the roof.
00:21 So it has been challenging but it will be worth it because it's such an exciting community hub. So once we're open there will be something for all the community.
00:30 You know we'll have all sorts of classes here. Fitness classes, open access football for the youngsters, the boxing gym will have open access sessions so all the residents locally will be able to come and join in.
00:41 It will be a proper community hub. We'll also be running once the cafe is finished our dementia cafe here.
00:46 So for people who are suffering with early dementia and lots of community activities that are based around the hub.
00:51 Can you just explain to us what this pitch is and what it's used for?
00:55 So this is what we're calling our community pitch at the moment. So it's basically a training pitch. So it's split up with the coloured lines into four or five-a-sides or two nine-a-sides or a full-size pitch.
01:04 We've been using it a little bit for training but we're obviously a bit limited because we haven't actually handed over the whole building yet. Just this part of the facility.
01:13 The feedback is phenomenal. The pitches are great. Everybody loves playing on it.
01:18 Moneyfields are using it for matches on a Sunday. We're using it for our kids matches on a Saturday.
01:23 But it is very limited at the moment until we open properly.
01:27 So Claire can you explain what this space is going to be used for and what the rest of the building will be used for down there?
01:35 So this big open space will be our boxing gym. Moneyfields Boxing have been at Moneyfields for years.
01:40 So they're moving back in. They've been at a community centre for the last couple of years.
01:44 They'll come join Pompey in the community. We'll be offering kids boxing. They'll carry on with their offer.
01:50 And then we'll also be using it for a lot of fitness. So it's quite exciting to have such a big space.
01:56 I think when you look down the corridor you realise quite what a huge building it is.
02:00 So first of all we'll have the referees room. Obviously male and female.
02:05 Then we've got the home changing room for the stadia pitch.
02:08 And once you go through the players tunnel you've got the physios room on the left.
02:12 And we've got a massive storage area. Because one of the most important things with 3G pitches is that you wear the right footwear.
02:17 So we're busy collecting boots so that anybody who turns up can make sure they've got the right footwear.
02:22 So if you've got any boots that you need to donate bring them our way.
02:25 Because that means, especially when we do our free open access sessions for kids, they can just borrow a pair of boots or take a pair of boots home.
02:32 We've then got our away changing rooms which then lead on to the community pitch changing rooms on the other end.
02:38 And at the far end we've got what we're going to call our community hub.
02:41 So it'll be a sort of dance drama studio. It'll be a cafe. It'll be a networking place.
02:46 We'll have a temporary coffee machine and things in there. So we can use it for all sorts of community activities.
02:51 So the John Jenkins Stadium is finishing its first phase of construction.
02:55 And with two more phases to go it looks like the project is finally taking shape.
03:00 The Pompey First team have made one training session on this pitch behind me.
03:04 And also this pitch is being used for other practices as well.
03:08 And work is also taking shape on the boxing gym and the cafe and other parts of the building to the right of me.
03:14 It seems that finally after a lot of external challenges that residents will be finally seeing the John Jenkins Stadium finally take shape.
03:21 Freddie Webb reporting for the Ports of News on Moneyfield Avenue.
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