DYLAN Thomas drew inspiration from the beauty spot and now restoration plans for Swansea‘s Cwmdonkin Park are one step closer to fruition.
Swansea Council has received news they’ve been successful in the first stage of a Heritage Lottery Fund application to upgrade the historic attraction.
The project will receive a £19,400 development grant from the HLF to develop more detailed plans for the park that will be submitted as part of the second stage of the application process.
Swansea Council now has up to two years to submit these plans and apply for £715,600 of further HLF support.
It’s hoped the park will be restored in time to mark the centenary of Dylan‘s birth in 2014.
Some of the upgrade ideas include the replacing and upgrading of fencing and footpaths, the introduction of new seating, the restoration of outstanding views towards Mumbles and the re-introduction of the some of the original plant species.
Members of the public were asked for feedback on how they’d like to see the park upgraded and will again be asked for their input during consultation as part of the second stage of the application process.
Dylan Thomas grew up on Cwmdonkin Drive close to the park and the beauty spot featured in his Hunchback in the Park poem.
A memorial stone to the World famous wordsmith with lines from his Fern Hill poem was placed in the park in 1963.
Cllr Graham Thomas, Swansea Council’s Cabinet Member for Culture, Recreation and Tourism, said: “We’re delighted that the Heritage Lottery Fund has given its initial support for our project.
“We feel it would be very apt to improve and conserve Cwmdonkin Park in time for the 100th anniversary of Dylan’s birth because he’s Swansea‘s most famous son and a man whose works are timeless.
“The public will continue to be involved in our proposals for the park and their feedback will once again play an invaluable role in the second stage of the application process.”
Jennifer Stewart, Head of Heritage Lottery Fund Wales, said: “We know that local parks make a really big difference to people’s lives.
“The people of Swansea particularly value Cwmdonkin Park and we hope that the Heritage Lottery Fund’s initial backing for this excellent project will help it thrive in the future and that this news will provide local people with some valuable festive cheer.”
Cwmdonkin Park was officially opened in 1874 and is one of the oldest municipal parks in Wales.
The park’s special historic interest at a national level is recognised by its Grade II listing in the Cadw Register of Parks and Gardens of Historic Interest.
