Bordered on two sides by the River Taff, the Ynysangharad War Memorial Park has been protected by Fields in Trust since 2019. It occupies a huge swathe of central Pontypridd – and a huge place in the hearts of Ponty locals.
Walk in along the pedestrian footbridge over the Taff and you’ll find yourself on a gorgeous avenue, with tree-topped hills in the distance. Next, you’ll pass Lido Play, a playground with a panoply of things to climb up, crawl through and slide down, where Tyler Ayres brings his infant daughter Isabella here to have fun most days. There are tennis and basketball courts, paths where you can wave at passing kayakers, a cricket pitch and nursery. There are dog-walkers galore, including Paul, who has been bringing his dog Buddy here for years, and benches where locals including father and daughter Somilya and Ranga sit and take in the view.
But more than all of these, the park is defined by Lido Ponty, a council-run open-air pool that opened in 1927 and swiftly became a treasured part of the community. It was here that local resident Jenny James learned to swim in 1934 aged seven, and trained to take on major challenges, becoming the first Welsh person to swim the English Channel in 1951. Later in the 1950s the Lido became a haunt of a teenaged Sir Tom Jones. “He's a Ponty boy, and he spent quite a lot of time there, probably in extremely tight swimming trunks,” says Sian Hickman, who works at the council responsible for running the park and lido.
After years of glory, Lido Ponty hit tough times in the 1990s, against a tough economic backdrop. “It fell into disrepair, and it was literally just a boarded-up space in the middle of the park,” says Hickman. It looked like the illustrious history of the pool might be over. And then came salvation, in the form of a National Lottery grant. “There was a huge restoration operation,” says Hickman. “They saved and repaired the original turnstiles, changing rooms and showers.” The Lido reopened in 2015, with three heated outdoor pools, top-notch facilities and a wonderfully smart and simple design.
“It is ten years since the lido reopened and it has gone from strength to strength in that time, evolving with what the public wanted,” says Hickman. First came an inflatable obstacle course. Then Boxing Day swims were introduced, which are attended by entire generations of families. Then came quiet sessions in partnership with the National Autistic Society and swimming lessons in Welsh. Hardier souls turn out for the cold water swims when the temperature is turned down to 15 degrees Celsius.
When locals aren’t diving in at the Lido, there are often events for them to enjoy in the park. There’s a bike and food festival, concerts and teddy bears’ picnics for toddlers. 2024 saw the arrival of the Eisteddfod, a singing event and poetry competition which drew in 180,000 people. A new heritage and education centre, Canolfan Calon Taf, sits by the bandstand and runs events including yoga, history talks and stargazing sessions. “Anyone who wants to enjoy open space, there's a place for them in the park,” says Hickman. “The people of Pontypridd are exceptionally proud of Ynysangharad, they’re exceptionally grateful – and even smug! – to have it on their doorstep.” As well as being proud of their park, Pontypridd locals can feel reassured that it will remain at the heart of the community for future generations, thanks to its protection by Fields in Trust.