Rhondda Heritage Park To Benefit From Investment
Ambitious plans to re-establish Rhondda Heritage Park as a key Valley’s tourist attraction have been agreed by Cabinet.
Almost half-a-million pounds will now be invested in a major overhaul of the Park to bring the customer offer into the 21st Century.
The plans include restructuring the layout of the Heritage Park and the creation of a fresh interpretation of the history of Rhondda and coal.
A new simulator experience will once again form part of the guided ‘Miners’ tours with the introduction of interactive technology as part of the experience.
A new Italian cafe, to showcase this unique aspect of Valleys life will also be developed as part of the plans. These significant developments will now be taken forward in two stages.
Cllr Joy Rosser, Cabinet Member for Prosperity, Wellbeing and Communities, said: “Rhondda Cynon Taf has such a rich industrial heritage and the Rhondda Valleys are well-known internationally in particular for this. I am firmly of the view that we as a Council have a duty and obligation to protect and preserve our proud history.
“The visitor experience has remained the same since the Park was opened in the early 1990s and a refresh of the attraction is therefore overdue.
“I am pleased the proposals to invest almost half-a-million pounds were unanimously supported by Cabinet. These proposals will significantly enhance what the former colliery site, which still receives visitors from across the world, has to offer.
“This is such an iconic visitor attraction at the gateway to the Rhondda and it is hugely important that the Council seeks to bring this venue into the 21st Century. The significant changes agreed by Cabinet will transform the entire visitor offer.
“The success we have achieved with Lido Ponty, the National Lido of Wales, demonstrates what can be achieved when the Council turns its mind to the development of visitor attractions.
“The offer has changed little since the Park’s creation in the 1990s and this investment will increase visitor numbers and protect the sustainability of the venue in the future.
“The Council was recently awarded ‘working towards museum’ status and these proposals will support that accreditation process.
“The changes will allow new opportunities to present the history of Rhondda and coal in a new 21st Century format.
“We are all proud of Rhondda Cynon Taf’s history and this investment will ensure our diverse cultural and industrial heritage continues to be recognised and celebrated.
“We want the Heritage Park to become a key visitor attraction for the South Wales Valleys, drawing upon the many visitors who already attend the National Lido of Wales and the Royal Mint Experience.
“The reconfiguration of the Park will see new layouts describing the story of Coal and the history of Rhondda; a new Italian style cafe will recall this unique aspect of valleys life as a result of the industrial revolution and the addition of the simulator ride to the Miners’ Tour will completely change the experience customers receive.
“We recognise that the current visitor offer at Rhondda Heritage Park has not kept pace with modern technology or the expectations of visitors, that is why we have agreed these changes and this investment to bring the Park up to date and up to a standard which a venue of this importance should provide.
“There are a number of structural improvements which will need to be made in order to future proof the park and the Council recently agreed to explore the potential of Heritage Lottery funding in the same way that delivered the National Lido of Wales in Pontypridd.
“This is an incredibly exciting plan for the Heritage Park and is yet another example of the approach the Council Leader and the Cabinet are taking to invest in services to sustain them and to deliver increased revenue income, safeguarding services in the face of continuing austerity cuts by the UK Government.
The redevelopment of Rhondda Heritage Park agreed by Cabinet will be taken forward in two stages. The improvements to the visitor offer are as follows:
• The history of the Rhondda and Black Gold – there are many stories to tell of the transformation of the Rhondda through coal, major events such as the Tonypandy Riots, the introduction of education and healthcare for all driven by the miners welfare movement, the advances in science through innovation in the coal industry and the amazing stories of local individuals such as John Hopla.
The layout of the Heritage Park will be restructured to create the space to enable these stories to be told.
Phase 1 – new layouts will present key stories of the history of the Rhondda;
Phase 2 – these will be supported in the future through modern technology where visitors will be provided with personal equipment to tell the stories and supplement the static information available.
• Guided Tours – the guided tours are very popular with the visitors.
Phase 1 – It is proposed that these will be enhanced by replacing and upgrading the obsolete ride simulator, the Miners Lift Ride, bringing the Bertie and Trevor winding wheels back into operation and the audio visual presentations in the two engine houses
Phase 2 – it is proposed to introduce interactive audio portraits, video walls, projected animation and educational interactive displays;
Gallery and Cafe – to improve the layout of the main entrance building to improve the use of museum exhibits and to tell the Rhondda stories, it is proposed that:
- The Cafe is relocated to the ground floor, adjacent to the reception area, and becomes an Italian Cafe. This will also tell the story of the Italian migration to the South Wales valleys and how Italian Cafes have become part of our heritage. It is proposed that this provision is operated by an external partner, similar to the arrangement in place for Lido Ponty;
- The upstairs Gallery and vacated Cafe space provides the space to offer the Rhondda story through new exhibition panels and exhibition panels that allow for many of the previously unseen artefacts, to be exhibited
Energy Zone development – the children’s play area at the rear of the site is underused and the building associated with the area is not used.
It is proposed that the Council explores whether this could become a Play Centre for younger children.
The Council has been approached by two experienced Play Centre providers who see the potential for offering such a facility in the Greater Pontypridd/Rhondda area
Events – A structured and varied events programme has been key in encouraging visitors to return to the Heritage Park and generate a positive contribution to the running costs of the Park. It is proposed that this is increased to offer the following annual events:
| Classic Car Show | Spring |
| Easter | April |
| Miners Fortnight | July – August |
| Tribute in the Park | Summer |
| X-Scream | October |
| Spooktacular | October |
| Santa’s Toy Mine | November – December |
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