Posted: Thu 1st Sep 2016

Smoother Access To Abercynon Sports Centre

This article is old - Published: Thursday, Sep 1st, 2016

As the fantastic new gym and fitness studios at Abercynon Sports Centre continues to attract scores of new customers, Rhondda Cynon Taf Council has confirmed further investment at the site to further benefit visitors. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

Two streams of the Council’s three-year, £200m #RCTInvest programme have come together at Abercynon to provide the modern facilities residents demand and deserve and also the improved access and parking that is vital as the centre continues to grow in popularity. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

An impressive new ground floor gym (replacing the outdated first-floor facility which had no wheelchair access), new fitness studios and a fully-accessible reception/entrance has been created in a £700,000 refurbishment delivered as part of the £1.7m leisure #RCTinvest stream. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

Now a further phase turns to pedestrian and vehicular access to the building, with works due to start September on extending parking to provide additional spaces, including more disabled parking spaces closer to the centre’s main entrance. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

The footpath which leads from the rugby club towards the centre is to be extended and resurfaced to provide full pedestrian/pushchair/wheelchair access to the facilities. Previously, the footpath ended before it reached the car park. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

The access road to the centre’s car park is to be resurfaced and improved to remove standing water and, overall, the car park will be extended to provide the best possible facilities. This work to complement and build on the leisure investment will be delivered as part of the three-year £23m Highways investment stream, which is also part of the wider £200m #RCTinvest. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

Work is due to start on September 12 and will last several weeks, with vehicular access to Abercynon Sports Centre maintained throughout where possible. There is likely to be some disruption to parking, but those with concerns are urged to contact the friendly team at the centre, who can assist and advise. Members are reassured that Abercynon Sports Centre will be open as normal throughout the works. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

Once the access and parking has been completed, Abercynon Sports Centre will be the proud location of a fantastic new leisure facility with high-quality access and parking to match, delivering on the Council’s ongoing commitment to leisure and highways. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

Cllr Andrew Morgan, Leader of Rhondda Cynon Taf Council, said: “The improvements at Abercynon Sports Centre are a good example of how different elements of the £200m #RCTInvest are coming together to make a huge difference to the lives of residents and the standard of the facilities we offer. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

“It is clear that our effort and investment in leisure is paying off as since the new gym at Hawthorn, the first of the investment schemes, opened, some 1,300 people have joined Leisure for Life across the county. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

“That’s 1,300 people of all ages and interests enjoying a healthier way of life in some of the best leisure facilities in the region and 1,300 new memberships that are contributing towards the future of our leisure services. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

“I am extremely proud of the way our staff, supported by my Cabinet Member for Leisure, Cllr Ann Crimmings are delivering on this investment programme ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

“In the week since the new gym and studios opened, over 50 new members have signed up to Leisure for Life memberships. These new committed memberships that will contribute towards the continued sustainability of the site and 50 people are now living healthier lives in one of the best leisure facilities in the region. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

“As Abercynon Sports Centre continues to go from strength to strength, other centres that have benefitted from investment in recent months – Sobell Leisure Centre, Bronwydd Pool and Gym, Hawthorn Leisure Centre and Rhondda Sports Centre – are also enjoying increased membership as a result of their new, state-of-the-art facilities and attractive membership options.” ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​



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