03/28/2024

Wales News Online

Local & National News for Wales

Indoor sports barn will be a first for city

WORK is underway to deliver a state-of-the-art sports and community hub on Swansea’s eastside that will include an indoor pitch, fitness studio and other leisure facilities.

The sports barn at Cefn Hengoed School would be a first for the city and would transform sports and leisure opportunities for both pupils and the wider community.

Swansea Council is committed to providing an all-weather pitch at the site for football, rugby and other sports and has been working with partners to develop the plans.

Now the Welsh Government has agreed to an application for more than £1m in funding to develop indoor facilities that build on what was already planned.

The council, in partnership with the school, Freedom Leisure who run the council’s leisure centres, The Football Foundation, Swansea City Community Trust and other partners are working closely to secure match funding for the £2m plus scheme.

Cllr Robert Francis Davies, Swansea Council’s Cabinet Member for Investment, Regeneration & Tourism, said: “This is an incredibly exciting development that will transform opportunities for fitness and leisure activities.

“The sports barn will be the first of its kind in Swansea and as well as containing an indoor all-weather pitch there will also be internal remodelling and refurbishment of the existing leisure centre at Cefn Hengoed School.

“The facilities will include a new reception and café area, a fitness suite come gym, community space and refurbishment of the changing areas.

“While there are obvious benefits for the pupils at the school the facilities will also be available for use by the wider community including sports teams and organisations.”

Cefn Hengoed School was one of the first in Swansea to undergo a major transformation under Swansea Council’s 21st Century School’s programme.

The £10m investment has provided pupils with a first class learning environment and the sports barn will provide leisure facilities to match.

The development will also provide an opportunity create a true community hub, with a wide variety of facilities on offer for residents, including health, learning and general wellbeing as well as sport.

Pupils and staff at the school along with the wide community will have a chance to talk about the plans at community engagement sessions planned for July 15.

Cllr Jennifer Raynor, Council member for Education Improvement, Learning and Skills, said: “There has been a huge investment in schools and leisure facilities in Swansea in recent years.

“Penyrheol, Morriston and Pentrehafod all now boast 3G pitches that are very well used by the schools and the wider community.

“There are plans for further pitches at Olchfa and YGG Bryn Tawe as well as this development at Cefn Hengoed.

“I’m extremely grateful to our colleagues in Welsh Government for their enthusiastic support of the Cefn Hengoed project which will provide the eastside of the city with facilities that are second to
none.”

%d bloggers like this: