THERE’S a revolution brewing in Kidwelly after a local Co-Op Member Pioneer, Anne Gilley was challenged to make a difference in her community.
It seemed obvious to Anne, that given the appetite within Kidwelly for better park and play facilities for local children, that she should channel her energy into working with others to improve the space at Parc Stephens – the park at the centre of the town.
When Anne was asked why she decided to take this task on, she said: “I get asked this often and my answer is ‘if everyone did nothing, then we would have nothing’. There’s been lots of frustration about the condition of the parks in Kidwelly and I thought I could work with the community to improve them.”
Anne went out to the schools in Kidwelly to find out what young people thought of the facilities available to them. She also asked what could be done to improve them.
She was overwhelmed by the pupils enthusiasm, especially as they were so focused on ensuring the park had facilities that could be used by everyone – above all else, they wanted a park that was inclusive.
Anne said: “While the parks were under the control of Carmarthenshire County Council, we were unable to do anything. But, when Kidwelly Town Council (KTC) took control of 4 out of the 5 parks we have in town, opportunities arose. I approached KTC to see if they’d be interested in working in partnership with the community and they were very supportive.
“As much as we’d love to see all the parks have a make over but we needed to be realistic in our approach and it was decided we would concentrate on Parc Stephens as it a centre point for the town.”
Anne set up several meetings with KTC and the local County Councillor to ensure that the basics of maintenance and insurance were taken care of before working to move the project on. Once the town council had agreed to take responsibility for maintenance and insurance costs, the hard work began and a community organisation has now been established to work alongside KTC to raise the much needed funds to up-grade the park.
You can get involved by participating in the fundraising events, or by attending the meetings and working groups that have been established. Follow the Facebook group, ‘Building Our Park Together for more information and contacts.
Facebook link to public group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/2457494544284625/
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