Area of land with skate park and outdoor gym planning transferred to local group

By Anthony Lewis

A PIECE of land at a Tonyrefail park where a skate park and outdoor gym are planned has been transferred to a local group

An officer decision has granted a 25-year lease of a parcel of land at Tyn Y Bryn Park, Tonyrefail, to the registered charity Friends of Tyn y Bryn Park through a community asset transfer

Friends of Tyn y Bryn Park propose the development of a fully accessible
outdoor skate park and outdoor gym facility within the park, with facilities available to all ages and abilities in the community and beyond.

The officers’ report said the group cites significant health issues in the village, and obesity is a growing problem with more people becoming overweight as they choose a less active lifestyle and that poverty exacerbates the problem, with many families often unable to access existing facilities on cost grounds.

Anti-social behaviour was noted as a growing concern along with the Covid-19
pandemic which has also highlighted the community’s reliance on youth clubs
and sports groups to provide activities for young people.

There are currently no free, open-access facilities available for children in Tonyrefail to use on a daily basis.

The report went on to say that the plan to provide the community with a skate park and outdoor gym will simultaneously help to address some of these issues and provide many benefits including that it will be a free facility so cost will no longer be a barrier to staying well, keeping fit and having fun.

It also said it will provide young people in particular with a modern, purpose-built facility that will allow them to use their time positively and that it will provide a facility that the whole community can use to improve their
general health and well-being.

The group have currently secured a third of the capital funding required and
are currently awaiting decisions from remaining funders. The group have
also submitted an achievable annual fundraising plan for the lifespan of the
equipment to cover repairs and maintenance.

The report said that ongoing costs are likely to be minimal and reliant upon fundraising activities and that the group have submitted an achievable annual fundraising plan based on their significant fundraising activities to date which will support any ongoing costs during the lifespan of the equipment and provide a reinstatement fund for future repairs.

The  intention is for RCT’s leisure, parks and sports team to undertake
an annual inspection of the facility and maintain surrounding grounds in
accordance with a service level agreement for which the group will be  recharged.

Planning permission has been granted for both the skate park and the outdoor gym.