JLife heads to the heart of the action, shining the spotlight on Street Lane and Moortown and discovering the highlights that await.
Leeds is changing. From new shops and eateries to car parks and housing, the landscape of the city is constantly evolving, and these changes can be seen beyond the centre, too. In the suburb of Moortown and along Street Lane, new additions meet old favourites while maintaining their popularity and reputation as a hive of activity for both the local community and visitors to the area.
With everything you could need to suit your lifestyle all conveniently located within a compact area, Street Lane is a central hub within LS17 – and there there are some exciting new additions for 2016 to look forward to. One of these is the exclusive 22 Street Lane Nursery, which is set to open its doors shortly and sees the transformation of the derelict building near Roundhay Park into a state-of-the-art children’s nursery that will provide care and education for children from the ages of three months up to five years. It will incorporate educational perspectives including Reggio Emilia, New Zealand ‘Te Whariki’, Montessori, Steiner and Froebel.
Park Life
Towards the end of Street Lane, the lush green backdrop of Roundhay Park provides a family-friendly hotspot, equipped with a golf club, boating lake, as well as a variety of sporting clubs.
As with previous years, the park’s latest annual Dragon Boat Race tapped into the competitive spirit of the community as people took to the water in aid of a worthy cause – to raise money for Martin House Hospice. Crews raced brightly painted boats over a 200m course, representing organisations, sports clubs, and groups of friends and families. As well as the main action on the lake, food offerings and other activities captured the interest of spectators and made for a memorable day out.
A visit to Roundhay Park wouldn’t be complete without also venturing to Tropical World to catch a glimpse of the wide collection of plants and animals. The popular wildlife attraction, officially renamed The Arnold and Marjorie Ziff Tropical World in July 2008 in honour of the family’s communal contributions, recently underwent a £1.5 million refurbishment that saw a new café and other facilities added.
Roundhay Park is also the setting for the exciting launch of the inaugural Columbia Threadneedle World Triathlon Leeds, which is set to take place on 11th and 12th June. It begins with an open water swim in Roundhay Park’s Waterloo Lake, followed by a bike ride along Street Lane through Moortown along Stonegate Road towards the city centre, culminating in a run that ends at Millennium Square.
Buzzing Moortown
There is an array of new activities and events taking place in Moortown in the coming months, including a brand new café designed to provide a safe, comfortable and supportive environment for people with dementia and their carers to socialise.
The Lidgett Lane Community Centre opened the Tea Cosy+ Café in May, and is leading the way in providing services and support for those with dementia in Leeds.
At The Corner House on Moortown Corner, there has been a significant development in recent months. Where the casino once was based, there are now 13 two-bedroom rental apartments, each arranged over two floors. Manning Stainton’s lettings team is currently overseeing the properties – all of which have been snapped up – at the site that was formerly a cinema in the late 1930s before becoming a casino in 1968.
The Corner House site has been completely rebuilt behind the façade while retaining many key features, such as the grand staircase. It has been renamed The Grosvenor House after the final owners of the casino, which closed its doors in 2008.
Whatever you need, you’ll be spoilt for choice in Street Lane and Moortown. There is much to see and do, and plenty to keep you busy in the summer months and beyond.