Goodwin Sports Centre
Encyclopedia
Leisure centre
A leisure centre in the UK and Canada is a purpose built building or site, usually owned and operated by the city, borough council or municipal district council, where people go to keep fit or relax through using the facilities.- Typical Facilities :...
and gym in the Crookesmoor area of the city of Sheffield
Sheffield
Sheffield is a city and metropolitan borough of South Yorkshire, England. Its name derives from the River Sheaf, which runs through the city. Historically a part of the West Riding of Yorkshire, and with some of its southern suburbs annexed from Derbyshire, the city has grown from its largely...
, South Yorkshire
South Yorkshire
South Yorkshire is a metropolitan county in the Yorkshire and the Humber region of England. It has a population of 1.29 million. It consists of four metropolitan boroughs: Barnsley, Doncaster, Rotherham, and City of Sheffield...
, England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
. Its facilities include a 33 m swimming pool
Swimming pool
A swimming pool, swimming bath, wading pool, or simply a pool, is a container filled with water intended for swimming or water-based recreation. There are many standard sizes; the largest is the Olympic-size swimming pool...
, bouldering wall
Climbing wall
A climbing wall is an artificially constructed wall with grips for hands and feet, usually used for indoor climbing, but sometimes located outdoors as well. Some are brick or wooden constructions, but on most modern walls, the material most often used is a thick multiplex board with holes drilled...
, tennis court
Tennis court
A tennis court is where the game of tennis is played. It is a firm rectangular surface with a low net stretched across the center. The same surface can be used to play both doubles and singles.-Dimensions:...
, cricket nets, gymnasium (known as S10health), sports hall and several synthetic pitches
Artificial turf
Artificial turf is a surface manufactured from synthetic fibers made to look like natural grass. It is most often used in arenas for sports that were originally or are normally played on grass. However, it is now being used on residential lawns and commercial applications as well...
. It is owned by the University of Sheffield
University of Sheffield
The University of Sheffield is a research university based in the city of Sheffield in South Yorkshire, England. It is one of the original 'red brick' universities and is a member of the Russell Group of leading research intensive universities...
.
Facilities
Bouldering
Bouldering is a style of rock climbing undertaken without a rope and normally limited to very short climbs over a crash pad so that a fall will not result in serious injury. It is typically practiced on large natural boulders or artificial boulders in gyms and outdoor urban areas...
wall, the other housing an indoor sports hall and other facilities. The complex also has two full size astroturf
Artificial turf
Artificial turf is a surface manufactured from synthetic fibers made to look like natural grass. It is most often used in arenas for sports that were originally or are normally played on grass. However, it is now being used on residential lawns and commercial applications as well...
hockey
Field hockey
Field Hockey, or Hockey, is a team sport in which a team of players attempts to score goals by hitting, pushing or flicking a ball into an opposing team's goal using sticks...
pitches on the other side of Northumberland Road and a football synthetic pitch.
The facilities are used by members of the general public as well as the university community. University teams compete both at an internal level and within the British Universities Sports Association
British Universities Sports Association
British Universities & Colleges Sport is the governing body for university sport in the United Kingdom. BUCS was formed in June 2008 following a merger of the British Universities Sports Association and University College Sport organisations...
's leagues. Also, a number of non-university teams and clubs play or train at Goodwin, including Sheffield University Bankers Hockey Club
Sheffield University Bankers Hockey Club
Sheffield University Bankers Hockey Club is a hockey club based in Sheffield, South Yorkshire, England, who play in the English Hockey League and other leagues. It is associated with the University of Sheffield men's and women's hockey clubs, and many of its players are current students or alumni...
.
History
The facilities were largely constructed in the 1960s, funded by the head of the Neepsend Tool and Steel Corporation, Sir Stuart Goodwin. He approached the university with £30,000 of financial support towards building a sports hall after discovering that the existing gymnasium on the Western Bank part of the campus would be demolished. They were opened in October 1960. After funding the indoor sports hall, Goodwin then discovered that there was no swimming facility at the university (plans had been abandoned in 1939) and issued a further £60,000 from himself and his wife to fund the construction. At the opening ceremony for the pool, he surprised people further by pledging to fund squash courts and indoor cricket wickets. The swimming pool and second gymnasium opened in 1963.The swimming pool was later named the Cofield Swimming Pool, after "Sarge Cofield", the manager of university athletics for several years, on his retirement in 1967.
During the 2001/2002 academic year, the facilities were improved at a cost of £6 million, and the gym facilities renamed S10 Health. This is when additional synthetic pitches were added, along with the aerobics area and indoor climbing arena. This was also when the 'USport' body was created, an organisation with input from the University of Sheffield
University of Sheffield
The University of Sheffield is a research university based in the city of Sheffield in South Yorkshire, England. It is one of the original 'red brick' universities and is a member of the Russell Group of leading research intensive universities...
and the University of Sheffield Union of Students
University of Sheffield Union of Students
-Aims:Its mission is to act in the interests of all our members and has a vision to be the outstanding student-led organisation in the UK. It was also voted best Higher Education Students' Union in the country at the first ever NUS awards ceremony in 2008....
. The facilities were then opened up to members of the public, and membership fees were charged - including fees for students - for the first time.
Location
Goodwin is located roughly half-way up Northumberland Road off the A57A57 road
The A57 is a major road in England. It runs east from Liverpool to Lincoln, via Warrington, Cadishead, Irlam, Patricroft, Eccles, Salford and Manchester, then through the Pennines over the Snake Pass , around the Ladybower Reservoir, through Sheffield and past Worksop...
in the Crookesmoor part of Broomhill. The hockey pitches are to the south of the road, opposite the Weston Park Hospital
Weston Park Hospital
Weston Park Hospital is part of the Sheffield Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust in Broomhill, Sheffield, South Yorkshire, England. The hospital specialises in the treatment of cancer and is one of three purpose built specialist cancer hospitals in the United Kingdom...
whereas the indoor facilities and remaining football pitch are to the north, closer to Crookes Valley Park
Crookes Valley Park
Crookes Valley Park is an area of public parkland in the Crookesmoor area of the City of Sheffield in South Yorkshire, England. The park lies just under two kilometres west of the City centre at...
.
The pitches sit on top of former water reservoirs: The sports pitches on Whitham Road opposite Weston Park Hospital
Weston Park Hospital
Weston Park Hospital is part of the Sheffield Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust in Broomhill, Sheffield, South Yorkshire, England. The hospital specialises in the treatment of cancer and is one of three purpose built specialist cancer hospitals in the United Kingdom...
are the site of Godfrey Dam, built in 1790 and extended in 1853. On the opposite side of Northumberland Rd was New Dam built in 1787 and enlarged in 1809. Nearer Crookesmoor Road alongside Narrow Walk were Ralphs and Misfortune Dams, with Butchers Dam on the opposite side of Northumberland Road.