Cyfarthfa Park Revamp Wins It Benchmark Of Excellence Award

Merthyr Tydfil’s most popular tourist attraction has added another string to its bow after being recognised as among the cream of the UK’s green spaces. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

The presentation of a prestigious Green Flag Award to Cyfarthfa Park is a reward for the work carried out by Merthyr Tydfil County Borough Council and Merthyr Tydfil Leisure Trust (MTLT) to restore the historic facility to pristine condition. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

The Grade II* registered park is nearing the end of a major four-year redevelopment made possible by £3.1 million investment from the Heritage Lottery Fund (HLF), Welsh Government, CADW and County Borough Council. Achieving Green Flag status was one of its long-term aims and the regeneration partnership is delighted to have realised it so soon. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

“The team has worked extremely hard to develop Cyfarthfa Park into a key visitor destination,” said MTLT Chief Executive, Richard Marsh. “The Green Flag Award recognises our achievement in a number of areas, particularly in reaching high environmental standards and in encouraging community activity. It sets a benchmark of excellence for recreational green areas.” ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

The largest public park in the County Borough, Cyfarthfa covers 65 hectares and occupies a prominent position overlooking the town and what remains of the historic Cyfarthfa Ironworks. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

It provides the backdrop to the Grade I listed Cyfarthfa Castle, home of Ironmaster William Crawshay II, which was built in 1825 and is the best example of a 19th century ironmaster’s residence to have survived in South Wales. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

The park and castle attracted more than 500,000 visitors last year and was the third most popular free attraction in Wales, according to a Visit Wales survey in 2014. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

As part of the Heritage Lottery Fund’s Parks for People initiative, the redevelopment project has seen both apprentices and volunteers working to conserve and enhance the industrial heritage and historic features in Cyfarthfa Park. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

Work has included reconstructing and bringing back to life disused structures such as the Icehouse – which was used to store foodstuffs – and original features such as the walled kitchen garden, glasshouses and buggy store. The Bothy, which provides accommodation for staff, meeting and classroom facilities, will shortly house a new shop. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

It has also seen restoration ofCyfarthfa Ponds, vital repairs to the bandstand, tennis courts and bowls pavilion, enhancement of the lake and park landscape and the installation of new pathways to improve access. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

The park’s extensive apprentice and volunteering programme has been giving local people the chance to get ‘hands-on’ construction and horticultural training. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

The Green Flag Award® scheme is the benchmark national accreditation standard for parks and green spaces in the UK. Launched in 1996, it sets out a number of key criteria that applicants have to meet, including: ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

• being welcoming, with good and safe access and clear signage
• being healthy, safe and secure – in terms of equipment and facilities being safe to use, dog fouling being adequately addressed and the availability of toilets, drinking water, first aid, public telephones and emergency equipment
• having sustainable maintenance methods and environmentally sound facilities, with an environmental policy or charter
• paying particular attention to the conservation and appropriate management of natural features, wildlife and fauna, buildings and structural features
• pursuing the involvement of local people, with appropriate levels of provision of recreational facilities for all sectors of the community

Lucy Prisk, Green Flag Coordinator at Keep Wales Tidy, said: “We are delighted to be celebrating another record-breaking year for the Green Flag Award scheme. Our parks and green spaces play an important role in our communities, but their benefits are often taken for granted. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

“As well as providing havens for wildlife, having accessible, high quality green space can have a big impact on our health and wellbeing, and local economy. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

“All the flags flying this year are a testament to the efforts of the staff and volunteers who work tirelessly to maintain the standards demanded by the Green Flag Award. It is thanks to them that we have so many fantastic facilities available on our doorstep.” ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

County Borough Council Leader, Cllr Brendan Toomey, said: “The Heritage Lottery Fund Parks for People Scheme at Cyfarthfa Park is part of Merthyr Tydfil’s wider regeneration programme. This includes enhancement of the Cyfarthfa Heritage Area through restoration of Cyfarthfa Castle, the Cyfarthfa Leat and Old Gurnos Tramway. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

“The independently-verified Green Flag awarded to Cyfarthfa Park is a welcome recognition of the high standards achieved by our staff and volunteers to ensure that the Park is a safe and welcoming facility for visitors and residents alike. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

“The park and museum redevelopment are key elements of our aim to make Merthyr Tydfil a key regional hub in the Cardiff Capital Region, a great place to live, to work in and to visit.” ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​