Bedwas Leisure Centre receives major makeover

17 June 2009

Bedwas Leisure Centre has received a £170k refurbishment boost that has modernised and improved access to the poolside by giving its changing rooms a significant makeover.

The project was funded by grant money from the Sports Council for Wales and Caerphilly County Borough Council.

The renovation works included a major revamp of both male and female changing rooms, new power-assisted front doors to allow easier access to the centre, and the addition of a dedicated state-of-the-art changing facility for people with disabilities. The new changing facility, the first of its kind in the county borough, features specialist equipment to better assist people with complex mobility problems.

Numerous community groups and schools in the area, including the adjacent Bedwas High School, is set to benefit from the new changing facilities. These include:

• Pupils from 17 feeder schools + Trinity Fields Special School in Ystrad Mynach & Bedwas High School
• The Penguins disabled swimming club
• CCBC Disability Sports initiatives
• The Stroke Association
• Various 'Over 60's' initiatives
• Local residents

A launch to celebrate the completion of the refurbishment project took place on Friday (12th June). Cllr Phil Bevan, Cabinet Member for Education and Leisure, who attended the event alongside Paralympic swimmer Liz Johnson, said, "Caerphilly County Borough Council is committed to providing opportunities for people with disabilities to participate in sport and leisure activities. The introduction of the new disabled changing room at Bedwas Leisure Centre will give children and adults, who previously were unable to access the centre's facilities, the opportunity to use the swimming pool and lead a more active lifestyle."

Philip Carling, Chair of the Sports Council for Wales , commented on the £120,000 National Lottery investment from Sports Council for Wales. He said "This refurbishment to Bedwas Leisure Centre is the latest in a long line of projects that have been developed across Wales and will be of enormous benefit to the local community and Caerphilly as a whole. Everyone should have the opportunity to swim and keep physically active and I'm confident that these new changing facilities will motivate not only people with disabilities but also young people and adults."

In her launch speech, Liz Johnson, said, "I believe that the swimming pool at Bedwas Leisure Centre has turned out the highest number of Paralympic swimmers in Wales, four of which I know of, including myself."