An award of almost £50,000 is helping a drive to create an indoor bowls centre of excellence in Merthyr Tydfil.
Merthyr Tydfil (Rhydycar) Bowls Centre will be better equipped for existing and new members – and able to host international competitions – after receiving £48,500 from the EU-funded South East Wales Community Economic Development (Sewced) programme.
The cash boost will fund the upgrade of its bowling green and lighting.
The Merthyr Leisure Village-based centre has been the home of Merthyr Tydfil Indoor Bowls Club since it was formed in 1975. The club currently has almost 300 members aged from nine to 90 years of age.
Along with a six-rink indoor bowling green, the facilities include an events room able to accommodate 130 people at seminars, meetings and social occasions, while the lounge area caters for 80 people and a smaller conference room for 20 people.
“We were desperate to renew our bowling green as it was slowing down, and it was also becoming difficult to bowl with accuracy because of underlying faults,” said stadium coordinator Barrie Broad.
“We also needed new lighting to make the club more energy-efficient, allowing us to save 50% on our electricity bills, and an electronic display/announcements board.
“Our main aim is to provide an indoor bowling green centre of excellence. Although our senior section is very strong, we understand the need to have a strong youth/junior section.”
The club also hopes to attract more under-represented groups to use the centre, as well as GP referrals and local, regional and international competitions.
This Saturday, January 31, the centre is hosting the Welsh Indoor Bowling Association Singles and Junior Singles Tournament.
Merthyr Tydfil Council cabinet member for chief executive services Coun Phil Williams said: “Merthyr Tydfil (Rhydycar) Bowls Centre is an important element of the wide range of sports activities on offer in our town.
“The Sewced funding is helping create an improved facility that will allow a greater cross-section of participants to engage with bowls as a recreational pursuit – as wellas generating a greater income stream for the centre, making it more sustainable into the future.”
Sewced is supported by the European Regional Development Fund through the Welsh Government and run by a six-Valleys local authorities’ consortium of Merthyr Tydfil, Bridgend, Blaenau Gwent, Caerphilly, Rhondda Cynon Taf and Torfaen. It has invested £7.3m in 106 social enterprises since it began in 2010, helping to create 22 social enterprises and 110 full-time jobs.
