Leisure And Play Improvements In Mountain Ash

The impressive #RCTInvest regeneration of play and leisure facilities at Mountain Ash’s Caedrawnant Playing Fields is well underway – as the entire programme, benefitting nearly 50 communities, continues in full swing. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

As contractors begin removing the old play equipment to make way for a brand new facility complete with wheelchair-accessible roundabout, basket swings, toddler play unit and more, the 3G pitch being created on the site by Rhondda Cynon Taf Council is also nearly complete. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

Also complete and ready for community use are the tennis courts, which had the finishing touches of markings a nets installed by the Council’s Countryside team this week. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

Caedrawnant is the latest in a series of play areas to benefit from investment as part of the wider, three-year, £200m, #RCTinvest programme which has already, six months in, benefitted communities right across the county borough through investment in highways, schools, housing, leisure centres and town and village centres as well as play areas. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

To date, over 20 play areas across the county borough have been completed, and work is ongoing at a further two sites and are due to finish in the coming weeks (Clydach Park in Ynysybwl and Welfare Park in Hirwaun). ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

Work is also set to start in the coming weeks at Llwydcoed Park, Penrhys Park, Gwladys Street in Penywaun, Fernhill, Gelli Road in Llanharry and Kingsland in Treforest. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

The remaining play areas identified for #RCTinvest improvements for this financial year will be complete by Spring 2017, bringing the total number of play areas to be improved to almost 50. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

Cllr Ann Crimmings, Rhondda Cynon Taf Council’s Cabinet Member for Environment, Leisure and Culture said: “The sheer pace at which the important #RCTInvest play area investment is being delivered is shown by the activity this week. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

“On Wednesday afternoon we were delighted to officially open Oaklands Play Area in Cilfynydd with the help of local children who loved their new park and played in it together until their bedtimes. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

“The following day I visited Caedrawnant, with its new tennis courts and nicely-progressing 3G pitch to observe as preparatory works began for the new playground there. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

“While on site in Caedrawnant, contractors were also able to confirm that work will begin in Llwydcoed play area on Monday, with the old equipment being removed, again to make way for new equipment to benefit children and families in the area.By the end of next week, work will also be complete at Clydach Park in Ynysybwl. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

Play areas were identified to us by our communities as facilities in which they would like to see investment and improvement and by the end of 2016/17 nearly 50 will have benefitted from RCTinvest. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

“Providing safe, modern and attractive play areas across the county borough allows us to continue to deliver our commitment to support children and families to enjoy exercise and time in the outdoors together at no cost to themselves. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

“Good quality play areas are so important to children, families and our communities and that is why we are already looking ahead to next year’s capital programme and planning which play areas will be the next to benefit from our £200m RCTinvest programme.” ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​