YORK Acorn ARLC are pressing ahead with plans to redevelop their Thanet Road ground to the tune of £765,000, writes Peter Martini.

The expanding amateur outfit are wanting to improve facilities, turn the current all-weather area into a fully-turfed floodlit main pitch, move the mounds back to increase training areas, and extend the clubhouse to incorporate a new meeting room.

They also want to build three new changing rooms to add to their complex - including a women's changing room and toilet facilities due to the fact the club now embodies a ladies team, wants to incorporate new girls' teams, and is home to the women of Acorn Running Club.

Furthermore, they plan to fence off the ground - currently it is open land - so that they can take an official gate and therefore stage prestigious matches and events.

"All the work will be to enable us to increase participation in our sport among youngsters, women and men, which we are looking to do as part of our five-year sporting development plan," said treasurer and administrator Linda Hill.

"The children's section is thriving and we want to encourage girls into the sport. There are more and more children wanting to play and we need improved facilities to facilitate them."

The club need to put forward £268,000 themselves to have any chance of winning a grant and, after nearly 12 years of fundraising and saving, plus grants from the likes of the York Challenge Fund, are now only £40,000 short of their target. They are set to officially apply for a Lottery grant in the coming weeks.

"We've been saving for about 11 and a half years since building the clubhouse and we're now so near yet so far," added Hill.

"We will be applying for Lottery funding soon and it will then be a case of fingers crossed. We hope they will recognise the good work we do down here not just in rugby league but also in the community."

The next fund-raising event will be a "World Cup" sportsman's buffet lunch, featuring top entertainment through the afternoon and into the evening.

Speakers include former England and Manchester City star Mike Summerbee and Liverpudlian comedian Gary Skyner.

The event will start at noon on Saturday, June 29. Over-18s only. Tickets (prices to be confirmed) can be bought from the club, tel 01904 330351.

Updated: 12:03 Tuesday, June 18, 2002