The changing face of Borough Park
Workington sports fans have endured a frustrating silence regarding news on the Cumbria Sports Village project but we are now at the stage where details are beginning to emerge on the £6.4m new stadium plans.
Workington Reds’ re-appointed chairman, Phil Norman, confirmed that demolition work could start at Borough Park in May in preparation for Phase one of the project. That would involve bulldozing the main club building on the west side of the stadium and clearing the area in readiness for construction of the new facility.pix
The new building will house the brand-new facilities including offices, dressing rooms, function rooms, catering facilities and bars designed to suit the requirements of modern day sports clubs. This building will also contain the main seated accommodation in the form of a new stand.
The completion date for this stage of the development would be August 2026 – in time for the start of the 2026-27 season.
What happens during the construction period is still to be decided but the football club would like to remain on site during the re-development. That would require installing temporary facilities at the ground to cater for all the services that the current eighty-eight-year-old structure provides.
The Cumberland Sports Village has been designed with input from Workington AFC and Workington Town RLFC but with the local community in mind who will also be an important stakeholder in the new facility.
The Workington Reds Board are fully behind the scheme and there was a positive vibe amongst shareholders when they were given an update at the Club’s AGM earlier this week.
The facility will be operated by Cumberland Sports Village Limited.
Workington AFC have operated from Borough Park since 1937, but previously played at Schoose Close, Workington Cricket Field, Ashfield, the Ellis Sports Ground and Lonsdale Park.
There was even a return to Lonsdale Park during the 1986-87 season when Reds played a handful of games at their former home when Borough Park was closed on safety grounds for a period of three months.
Chairman Phil Norman commented “We were delighted to share updates on the new Cumberland Sports Village project with our shareholders, who continue to support the venture. Modern facilities designed to meet stakeholder needs will enable Workington AFC to increase revenues without the burden of maintenance of old infrastructure. The facilities will be available to the wider community throughout the week and are set to become a focal point for sport in West Cumbria.”
