Barry’s Gladstone Gardens Unveils Upgrades This Half-Term
Work to upgrade the leisure facilities at Barry’s Gladstone Gardens has come to a satisfying end, with the gates opening to the public this half-term.
A range of improvements have been made to the area, including the installation of an outdoor gym for adults, the introduction of a new multi-use games arena (MUGA), upgraded tennis courts and an upgrade to the children’s play area.
Re-surfacing and fencing works to the surrounding areas have also taken place, improving access considerably.
Vale children will now be able to play in an upgraded play area that includes a play tower with track ride, Supernova, a spinner bowl, a 3-way seesaw, and a variety of swings, all of which were designed to a seaside theme requested by local children during a consultation exercise held last summer.
Children of varying ages have been accommodated for, with different-sized slides and a ‘tactile manipulative play panel’ available.
Barry Youth Action played an important role in highlighting the potential improvements to the park to the Vale of Glamorgan Council. The young people facilitated consultation workshops with pupils from nearby primary schools as well as contributing their own ideas and suggestions.
Meanwhile, visitors to the gardens might also fancy a game of football, or basketball, both of which can be enjoyed in the new MUGA.
Adjacent to the MUGA stands the impressive new outdoor gym, an area that provides playful ways to train and socialise.
The dip bench, parallel bars, and suspension trainer are available for those wishing to increase muscular endurance, whilst cardio installations are for those looking to improve their aerobic fitness.
At specific points in the gym, users can refer to the Kompan boards. These display a range of exercises, and suggested work-outs for gym-goers.
The boards also have QR codes on them, which visitors can scan, on their phones, to gain access to the Kompan Sport & Fitness app. The fitness app contains interactive content on exercises and nutrition, and can be used in conjunction with the outdoor gym.
There are also plans for future open sessions to be held at the gym, with personal trainers visiting the site to host training sessions.
The work at Gladstone Gardens began in September 2016, and followed a period of consultation with the public, which aimed to ascertain what Vale residents wished to see at Gladstone Gardens.
Vale of Glamorgan Council Leader, Councillor Neil Moore, who visited the park this week, said: “I am pleased to see that the work at Gladstone Gardens has been so successful. It now offers residents a range of fun and active installations to enjoy throughout the year.
“The on-line surveys and focus groups, as well as the drop-in sessions for local residents, helped us shape this fantastic area, so I hope the local community will go on to feel very proud of it.
“I am looking forward to seeing how residents, and visitors, enjoy the park in the future.”
The work to upgrade the leisure facilities at Gladstone Gardens forms part of a programme to upgrade both the Upper and Lower gardens. Other works include the restoration of the original balustrade walling, which is currently taking place, and the upgrade of footpaths. Planting is also due to take place in the spring and autumn.
The £350,000 invested into the refurbishment of the park, and surrounding areas, forms part of the Council’s Castleland Renewal Area regeneration scheme.
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