llanblogger exclusive
* How the re-styled mini golf at Riverside Park will look.
People will soon be able to take a look at some of the Dee
Valley’s top attractions ... without leaving Llangollen’s Riverside Park.
That’s because there’s a plan to completely facelift the old
mini golf range there, with each of its nine holes being based on model
representations of the area’s major crowd-pullers, including Plas Newydd, Valle
Crucis Abbey, Castell Dinas Bran, Llangollen’s ancient bridge, the Horseshoe
Falls and the Pontcysyllte Aqueduct.
The idea of using the golf course to showcase all these
local tourist spots comes from the team behind the Clwydian Range and Dee
Valley Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty (AONB) which recently took over the
running of the range and nearby refreshment kiosk.
Paul Evans, manager of Plas Newydd, home of the Ladies of
Llangollen, is now also responsible for their development and explains how the
transformation is gradually starting to take shape.
He said: “Denbighshire County Council, which runs the park, traditionally
leased out the kiosk and the golf.
* The kiosk in the park which has been upgraded.
“A local couple held the lease for 12 years up until the
pandemic struck. Like lots of other places it then had to close and they did
not renew the lease. The AONB looked at it and decided to take over.
“We’ve now started to run the kiosk on the same lines as we
have successfully used at the cafe in Plas Newydd and we also intend to give
the mini golf a completely new look.
“We see this as a good opportunity to do something for the
town and also to use the new features as a showcase for Plas Newydd and other
major attractions in the Dee Valley.”
Paul, who had a summer job working in Riverside Park when he
was 16, added: “We want to try and replicate the success we’ve had at Plas
Newydd down at the park.
“The kiosk was completely gutted with new flooring and a
re-wiring. We’ve also installed a state-of-the-art machine for making good
quality coffees and teas.
“At the moment we’re also serving cold drinks and ice creams
but our aim is to eventually offer things like home-made cakes and sausage
rolls all sourced locally like at Plas Newydd.”
Detailing what’s in mind for the mini golf, Paul said:
“We’re aiming for a totally new experience. It will be a nine-hole course with
each of the holes representing an area of importance within the Dee Valley.
* The old crazy golf course soon to be given a new look.
“We’re also hoping to have a big map on the side wall of the
kiosk directing people to where they can visit the attractions themselves.
“We have a specialist company working on the project and
we’re still going through the design process so I can’t say yet when this is
likely to be finished.
“The idea is to highlight the whole of the Dee Valley and
perhaps to incorporate some walking routes, one of which could be from the park
up to Plas Newydd with people leaving their cars in town where there’s more
parking than up at Plas.”
As things recover from the pandemic, Paul said the kiosk was
currently opening as and when it could during the summer but he added that the
aim was to extend the traditional season from April through to October opening
seven days a week.
To do this effectively it will have to be adequately staffed
and Paul revealed that, in the wake of Covid-19 restrictions, this had been “a
nightmare”.
He explained: “Like everyone else we’ve had trouble with
recruitment – for both Riverside Park and Plas Newydd.
“We’ve had two recruiting drives over the past few months
and only now are we starting to get enough of the right people. But I think
we’re nearly there.
“We’ve taken on the park attractions as a long-term project
and we want to gradually build them up to the point where they become real
assets to the town.”
Ensuring that the best use it made of Llangollen’s outdoor
attractions is something of a family affair for Paul and his wife Jessica.
In her own right she has created a new organisation known as
the Llangollen Parks and Open Spaces Project, which includes the future
well-being of Riverside Park.
Paul said: “She’s been looking at ways of funding and
getting grants to upgrade facilities and pay for adequate maintenance. She’s
also been trying to find out what sort of improvements people would like to see
and speaking to the local MP and Senedd Member along with the town and county
councils.
“There’s lots going on behind the scenes but one of the
things she’s looking at is the possibility of putting in a splash park at
Riverside if the right sort of funding can be secured.”
