It is designed to help when the cost of repairing an historic building is so high that restoration simply is not commercially viable. Merthyr Tydfil YMCA is the first project in Wales to receive funding through HLF’s innovative grant programme, Heritage Enterprise. This support from HLF will enable this striking, four-storey terracotta building, which occupies a commanding and elevated position at the northern end of the town centre, to be at the forefront of the regeneration in Merthyr Tydfil. It also served as a boxing gym operated by the British Boxing Champion Eddie Thomas and a dance hall in the 1950s. The building began to fall into decline in the second half of the 20th century and has been ‘at risk’ for over 30 years. Edward Vlll visited the building on his tour of South Wales in 1936. On the second was a lounge, reading room, games room and library and on the upper floor, other games rooms, gymnasium and rifle range. In later years the building was occupied by the Board of Trade and the Labour Exchange, and then became the district education offices. On the ground floor there were offices, two shops and a café, while the first had a lecture hall and billiard room. The money has been awarded to Carmarthenshire Heritage Regeneration Trust (CHRT) which aims to safeguard the building by converting it into eleven commercial units with the potential to create over 70 local jobs.īuilt in 1911, the YMCA is a building of specific historical and cultural interest in Merthyr Tydfil. It was designed by the renowned Welsh architect Sir Percy Thomas as a centre of social advancement and personal improvement for Merthyr’s local young men. It provided a place where they could come for ‘healthy amusement, recreation and health giving exercise’.
0 Comments
Leave a Reply. |
AuthorWrite something about yourself. No need to be fancy, just an overview. ArchivesCategories |