Riverside Park lands £200,000 windfall for new facilities

* How the new mini golf area will look.

A massive £200,000 injection of Welsh Government money will help bring a range of improvements to Llangollen’s Riverside Park. 

The cash is part of a £2.9 million package announced by Economy Minister Vaughan Gething under the government’s Brilliant Basics capital fund to be shared among 18 projects that will help deliver small-scale infrastructure improvements in strategically important tourism locations across Wales. 

According to the government announcement, in Llangollen “improvements will be made to this popular destination and include mini golf, play equipment, green infrastructure, including E-bike charging points, water play infrastructure, bandstand seating, interpretation boards and ramped access between levels of the park”.   

The fund, which is supporting local authorities and national parks to deliver the improvements which will benefit both communities and visitors, will finance projects to help alleviate pressure in areas that are seeing increased visitor numbers. 

Brilliant Basics will also support projects to improve accessibility to sites and projects that make their destinations more environmentally sustainable.

Llangollen Parks Project, a community group made up of local parents, has been spearheading the campaign for improvements to the park, which is run by Denbighshire County Council.

Its spokeswoman, Jessica Evans, said: “When the Brilliant Basics  funding became available we saw the opportunity to work with DCC to look at applying for improvements to the play equipment and band stand as well as improving accessibility around the park. 

“We have also been able to apply for some money to install the required water pipe input and electricity supply to the location that we hope will contain a splash pad/ water play facility which we will aim for in future funding applications.”

She added: “The full value of the project is £250k which should make a huge difference to the park.

“The bid focused on much of the feedback we had received from the survey we put out about the park a few months ago, most notably making the facility a much more inclusive one and ensuring that the Riverside Park is a place where people of all ages can come and enjoy this stunning location.

“The play equipment should cater for a much wider age range than it currently does and also have a greater capacity to cater more easily for the numbers that use the park.

“The band stand will have new seating and an electricity supply. Funding for the electricity supply had already been secured by a funding bid put together by Paul Keddie and the Fringe Festival and this funding served as match funding for the bid. 

“We are so delighted that Paul Evans and the team at Denbighshire Countryside and Clwydian Range and Dee Valley AONB had the vision to work with us and push this project forward. We were also encouraged and supported by Ken Skates with this application and are very grateful to him for his support. 

“The project should be completed by spring 2023 so a very exciting and busy time ahead. We can't wait to see the finished project and the difference that this will make for people living in and visiting Llangollen.”

Castle Street sewer blockage caused by construction debris, says council

* The pumping machine in action on Castle Street.

The current traffic disruption in Castle Street is due to construction debris from the ongoing 2020 project falling into a manhole and blocking a sewer pipe, according to Denbighshire County Council.  

A spokesperson for said this morning (Monday) told llanblogger: “Whilst carrying out road resurfacing work in Castle Street on Friday evening, some construction debris accidentally fell into a manhole and became stuck within a sewer pipe. 

"A specialist drainage contractor attended and attempted to unblock the pipe using drainage rods. 

"When this did not work, a camera survey was undertaken which revealed the debris had lodged against a damaged section of pipe. 

"The council is now liaising with Welsh Water to discuss options for repairing the damaged pipe. We would like to thank the public for their understanding and to apologise for any disruption caused whilst these works are undertaken."

Further information about the problem has been obtained from the council by new Llangollen County Councillor Karen Edwards who said: "The obstruction caused the surface water and sewage in the manhole to back up and started to flood out of the manhole last Friday.

"This was despite the best efforts of the drainage contractor who was brought in to clear the blockage through rodding.

"I am told that two options exist - an attempt to repair the damaged pipe, which will require a 1.2 metre deep excavation to access it, or a short length of pipe being run from the affected manhole to an adjacent one."   

Suspected sewer problem affects Castle Street

* The large mobile pumping machine operating in Castle Street this morning. 

A problem appears to have developed with the sewer beneath the carroageway in Castle Street.

The problem developed on Saturday with what seemed at first to be a serious water leak in the roadway but which, it is understand, has since been diagnosed as an issue with the sewer. 

Yesterday afternoon a major pumping operation was going on the middle of the road and overnight a large portable pump has been operating within roadworks.

The problem has developed just as contractors for Denbighshire County Council are putting the finishing touches to the town’s major 2020 project to extend the pavements along Castle Street and resurface the carriageway. 

This has meant many months of disruption and there are concerns it will now be further delayed by rectifying the sewer problem.

* llanblogger has asked the water company for a comment. 

New grants to help spread dementia awareness

Denbighshire Council for Voluntary Service (DVSC) has announced a new round of grants to support activities and initiatives spreading dementia awareness throughout the county.

The grants, which have been enabled by the Welsh Government Integrated Care Fund, will give voluntary and community groups, Third Sector organisations, social enterprises and small businesses with less than 100 employees who operate in Denbighshire the chance to apply for up to £2,000. Individuals can also apply for grants up to £250.

Grants are available for events, activities and training sessions, which can raise awareness about dementia and encourage people to turn awareness into action and improvement in their communities.

“We have supported a variety of groups across Denbighshire through this grant over the last years," said Rebecca Bowcott, DVSC Community Wellbeing Officer. 

"These projects have delivered incredible support to individuals and families living with Dementia. This new grant will allow us to continue to help new and existing initiatives in the county from North to South to continue this great work." 

DVSC says it is operating a rapid grant decision-making process with applications being considered on a rolling basis until funds are disbursed.

* To apply for the grant, fill out DVSC’s application for groups and businesses hereor for individuals here.

If you want advice and guidance you contact DVSC’s Enterprise & Learning Officer, Rhys@dvsc.co.uk or call him on 01824 702441.

Denbighshire Voluntary Services Council

Work planned for next week on 2020 project

Work planned for week starting Monday, May 23 on the town's 2020 project is:

• Remedial works only
• Temporary traffic lights will be removed
• There are plans to reduce the size of the compound in Market Street car park when it’s possible to do so

Council's update on school attendance guidance

Parents and carers in Denbighshire are being informed that the Welsh Government has reverted back to the use of Fixed Penalty Notices for non-school attendance.

Following an announcement from the Minister for Education and Welsh Language, Denbighshire County Council will follow the guidance to ensure young people are accessing their education.

Geraint Davies, the Council’s Head of Education, said: “Denbighshire is informing parents and carers of the update from the minister for education. We are committed to ensuring school attendance, attainment and the well-being of our young people.

“The Fixed Penalty Notices are to be used in only the most extreme cases, as part of a range of options and when all efforts to engage have been tried and failed, and where it is evident that there are no underlying reasons that are impacting upon attendance at school.

“We ask that parents and carers work with schools and education closely communicating any difficulties and issues that are impacting on their child attending school regularly.

“Where there are genuine reasons for absences these must be discussed with school to ensure Denbighshire can work collaboratively with parents and schools to maintain school attendance of all pupils in the county.”

The new guidance is effective immediately.

Fixed-penalty notices for non-attendance had been available to local authorities during the pandemic, however the Welsh Government had recommended against their use.

For more information visit https://gov.wales/oral-statement-school-attendance

 

Castle Street to be closed Sunday night

Llangollen county councillor Karen Edwards says she has been notified that Castle Street will be closed from 6 pm until midnight on Sunday in order to complete white -lining works connected to the 2020 project.

The works had originally been scheduled to complete this evening (Friday 20th May), but some delays with the road resurfacing works have caused an overrun.

The works will require a road closure with the diversion route via the A5, A483 and A539.