Parc Bryn Bach has been named as one of the Discovery Gateway Sites that is set to share in £7m of investment as part of work to create a Valleys Regional Park. It joins Ynysangharad War Memorial Park, Parc Slip Nature Reserve, Dare Valley Country Park, Caerphilly Castle, Cwmcarn Forest, Blaenavon World Heritage Visitor Centre, Cyfarthfa Park and Bryngarw Country Park as Discovery Gateways.
This investment will support the development of a high-quality network of uplands, woodlands, nature reserves, country parks, rivers, reservoirs, canals and heritage sites. Connecting with our towns and villages, the Discovery Gateways will encourage people to be more active and to explore the beautiful Valleys landscapes.
Cllr David Davies Executive Member for Regeneration & Economic Development said
“This is great for Parc Bryn Bach and Blaenau Gwent. The park is extremely popular with locals and visitors alike and the opportunity to further develop and improve the facilities there is wonderful news. It is a great example of what can be achieved through regeneration. The site was once a landscape devastated by mining but now it has been reclaimed and reborn as a haven for wildlife and resource for us all to enjoy.”
Over the coming months Welsh Government and Valleys local authorities, working in conjunction with the site operators, will assess the strength and weaknesses of each Discovery Gateway Site with a view to creating development plans. These will deliver improvements to provide high quality facilities, which will enhance both the visitors and residents experience of the Valleys. The plans will be supported by the £7m of capital funding, over two years, which were announced in Welsh Government’s draft Budget 2019-20.
Antony Hughes, Director of Aneurin Leisure said,
“As a community focussed organisation, we are passionate about making a positive impact to people’s lives by not only improving physical health and wellbeing, but also their mental and social wellbeing through their diverse range of services and facilities. Our vision is to support and improve community life through Leisure, Learning and Culture. We are responsible for managing the park and are passionate about the environment and getting people into the great outdoors, whether through passive activity such as walking or more energetic adventure activities lead by highly skilled instructors. The news that we are to become a Discovery Gateway is fabulous and we are looking forward to planning the next growth and improvement of the park.”
Alun Davies AM said,
“I am delighted that Parc Bryn Bach will be developed as a Gateway Site for the Valleys Regional Park initiative. These plans for development will ensure improved facilities and an enhanced visitor experience for local people and visitors to our area. I regularly visit Parc Bryn Bach with my family and remember only too well its rich industrial heritage. It is an opportunity to build on that heritage, connect the Valleys as a region and encourage more people to explore our beautiful area. This now needs to link with our work to improve the history of Nye Bevan and the NHS that we celebrated earlier this year.”