Construction work is progressing well at Ynysangharad War Memorial Park in Pontypridd. This is a restoration and regeneration project scheme that we have been working on since 2017, helping Rhondda Cynon Taf County Borough Council secure Parks for People funding from the NLHF (National Lottery Heritage Fund) and obtaining Planning Consents.
Ynysangharad War Memorial Park is a 13 hectare public park, bordered by the River Taff, that represents a highly valued green resource in the centre of Pontypridd. The park opened in 1923 to provide important leisure and green space for the locals, including coal miners and workers at the nearby Brown Lenox Chainworks and their families. It is now a Grade II Registered park that forms part of the Town Centre Conservation Area. The park caters for wide a range of active and passive pursuits, and includes a Grade II listed Lido, cricket field, tennis courts, bowling greens, football pitches, play area, bandstand, sunken garden, mock rock outcrop and tree lined avenues.
Much of the £1.4m scheme is focused on the ‘Heritage and Horticultural Zone’ of the park and includes the restoration of the bandstand and surrounding landscape; repairs to the sunken garden and a new planting scheme; repair and conversion of a vacant 1930s Art-Deco style building to provide welfare facilities for parks staff; and the transformation of the former plant nursery into a Learning Centre. The Learning Centre will provide a valuable facility for all ages and backgrounds within the community to benefit from, improving health, well-being and learning through activities and training courses linked to the outdoor environment, horticulture and creative skills. To help support learning opportunities the design of the centre features a courtyard garden with raised beds for growing plants, a greenhouse, potting shed and covered area for outdoor demonstrations.
GKR Maintenance are the appointed contractor. TEP are leading the consultancy team, which includes Alwyn Jones Architects; Mann Williams; Cleaver & Co; Howard Doolan Associates; and Waterco.
Graeme Atherton, TEP’s Design Director said: “It is fantastic to see the work progressing on site. The new facilities combined with restoration of the existing built form and landscape will ensure that the park continues to meet the needs of the local community, bringing people closer to nature and providing opportunities to learn new skills. The project also complements other regeneration projects within Pontypridd, including the recently completed Taff Vale riverside development. We are proud to play our part in the transformation of the town and are grateful for the support that the NLHF has provided to the scheme”.
