Iconic YMCA building to reopen by mid-2019
A DATE for the reopening of the iconic Pontypridd YMCA building has been announced.
The building, a Pontypridd town centre landmark, is being completely transformed as part of multi-millionpound plans to turn it into a state-ofthe-art culture and community hub.
It comes after plans were given the green light last year, and demolition work began last month.
Work on the building itself will begin next April, and it was also announced that officials hope to open the new centre in mid-2019.
The project will now be undertaken in tandem with the nearby Taff Vale site, with both expected to be completed at around the same time.
The demolition that began on July 3 exposed some of the original brick and iron work dating back to 1910, and John Huish, chairman of the board of Pontypridd YMCA, said it was “wonderful” to see.
He added: “It is exciting to see the fruition of the work we have undertaken over the past months to consolidate our vision for this historicallyimportant building.
“The plans see a complete remodelling of the building, creating state-ofthe-art facilities that will be accessible to everyone in Pontypridd.”
The highly anticipated YMCA transformation will see huge changes to the building’s interior and exterior, including a new build element at the back of the structure.
The plans include a gym and fitness suite, cafe, youth club room, recording studio, reception area, five meeting spaces, two dance studios, a digital media suite and office spaces.
Once complete, the building will be fully-accessible and the facilities, including Shelley Hall, open to the public. It comes after May 2015, when the Arts Council of Wales revealed plans to transform the iconic YMCA building into a £6m state-of-the-art culture and community hub. The Arts Council is contributing £2.25m to the project, alongside a £2m Welsh Government pledge.
Pontypridd YMCA’s board has said that throughout development, it will continue to encourage people to take part in activities to help, including public art opportunities.
They are also inviting people to tell their stories about the “rich history” of the last 100 years of the YMCA in Pontypridd.
Rhondda Cynon Taf Councillor Robert Bevan, cabinet member for enterprise, development and housing, said: “This is further good news for Pontypridd and the wider economic regeneration of our county borough.
“The council is committed to securing an ambitious future for Pontypridd, and through a combination of collaborative working and direct intervention by the council the progress we all want to see is being delivered across a range of projects in the town.
“Our approach is ensuring that vital investment takes place here in Pontypridd, which benefits the whole of Rhondda Cynon Taf economically.”
As part of the works, there will be some disruption to traffic on Crossbrook Street and Gelliwastad Road to make the site safe.