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Pontypridd Camera Club

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Last trip out, Documenting the last remnant of the Festival Park at Ebbw Vale, Photos and history below

Here you will find events and places we have been to, and any information that might be of interest

  • tips like where to park, 
  • what to look out for
  • suggestion of tripod use or  not
  • what cameras and lenses may have been used
  • if there is a time limit, or a open/close time
  • suggested places to go and  see
  • what planes we may have in the future



Events, Feedback and Information


Festival Park Ebbw Vale & Owl Sanctuary

         Almost 30 years ago, the Festival Garden Park at Ebbw Vale opened,  It ran for a couple of months, and was extreemly popular, I myself visited the place at least 4 times in those few months. Parking both for the lower lake area and the upper shopping outlets were massive, and it showed with cars having to wait to get in down as far as the roundabout almost 2 miles away.

 






              The Garden Festival was impressive and amazing, though Unfortunetly after the Garden Festival finish, this was the nails in the coffin, The outlet village did thrive for quite a while, despite the land beneath which was the Gardens of the Festival removed of their former glory.   but inevitably the stores of the village slowly began to leave and the shops close down.








                Roll on 2021 and the village is like a ghost town, at present all bar 1 shop is open SPORTS DIRECT, and I have heard talks that even this last shop will be closing in the coming months.  Further evidence of this came from an article on WALESSONLINE, which confirmed the area has been sold to MERCIA REAL ESTATE LTD.,  and has there are some nicel houses in the lower ground around the lake, this looks like the building of new houses will happen.








               Down at the lakes, these were turned into fishing and walking areas, a few things of the Festival park wtill survive, like the the closed Oriental cafe, the silver chard coming out of the lake at the back, the stone statues, and the Welsh dragon  in red tilea and concrete hidden in the trees.  The lovely bridge across the lake is in need of some care, but has people who I talked to have said,  the council seemed to have left the place be with little or no repairs and noting planned.

          The Tobogan Run has closed, so has the childrens playground, the Owl Sanctuary is still open though and I would recommend a visit and a donation to for these rescued birds, open at least for the present time, let us hope the building of new houses will be a good step in the right direction.


Thanks for taking timeout to read and look at these images, soon there will be nothing left.  

The concrete statues at the car park entrance to the lake.