00:00 Hi, I'm Kirstie at the Sheffield Star and I'm here today in Crookes.
00:05 So this is the Derek Dooley Community Sports Centre and this area is managed by Sheffield
00:10 United Community Foundation.
00:13 So since Covid this area has been primarily out of use.
00:17 To my left there is a building, it used to be the gym, it's boarded up, it has unfortunately
00:23 been vandalised, it's got graffiti on it, but it is believed that this could be a real
00:28 asset to the community.
00:30 So we've spoken to some of the councillors in Crookes to find out a little bit about
00:34 the future of this area and they have tried to have some discussion through the council
00:41 with Sheffield United to find out what's happening, but it appears that communication has been
00:46 a little bit slow.
00:47 We're not sure what's happening at the moment with Sheffield United who own the ground and
00:54 what kind of future they have in mind for it.
00:57 So we've been asking questions as local councillors about what might happen in the future, whether
01:01 we might be able to get it re-established as a community use ground.
01:07 So we've got grassroots football organisations that are interested in using this and would
01:11 be booking it if it was available right now.
01:14 So we're really keen to get it back if we can.
01:18 So as you can see behind me there is a sign tied to the fence which reads that you must
01:22 have express written permission from Sheffield United in order to use this space.
01:28 Now some residents of the community have approached the star with some concerns about this, that
01:33 Sheffield United may be trying to prevent children from entering this area to play football
01:38 in an area that we don't have in Crookes.
01:41 I know Crookes isn't unique in this but there are so few spaces for young people, whether
01:47 that's teenagers or adults, we fund as the council a youth club at Wesley Hall but that's
01:54 one youth club every week.
01:57 I think places like this need to exist and need to be built and sustained by actors like
02:03 our football clubs.
02:06 I really hope Sheffield United will work with us to try and see something like that because
02:09 it would be incredible to have.
02:10 [wind]
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