A HOUSING association has apologised for delays in completing a children’s play area on a Llanrwst estate.
Cartrefi Conwy says it has acknowledged the concerns of residents and pledged that the playground at Rhodfa Phil Evans will be finished by the summer holidays.
The playground is part of a £4.3 million redevelopment of the estate but remains fenced off and full of rubble.
A block of 30 maisonettes and flats were demolished as part of the massive makeover of the 1970s estate, originally called Glanrafon, replacing the properties with 14 three and four-bedroom low-carbon modular homes.
Six nearby blocks of 36 apartments have also undergone major improvements to give them a brand-new modern look.
Tenants have now moved into all the properties following the work.
But the play area still isn’t ready, prompting some residents to take to social media to complain that children had nowhere to play in the warm summer weather.
The Local Democracy Reporting Service spoke to residents living nearby about the delay.
Mum Cerys Edwards, 20, said: “It’s taking a while, and people are throwing rubbish in there, so it is not the cleanest.
“They were supposed to have the playground ready by the end of January apparently, but it’s still not finished and looks like it’s nowhere near finished.
“It’s disappointing for the children.
“There are loads of children around, and I’m sure they would appreciate having a park to play in.”
Abbie Roberts, 24, from Llanrwst, said: “Some new kids have moved in, and they’ve got nothing to play with.
“They started doing the work quite a while ago.
“They sent letters out saying it was going to be finished by the end of January, and it’s still not done.”
The estate has been renamed as Rhodfa Phil Evans (Phil Evans Avenue) after a hugely popular, heroic caretaker who sadly passed away just days before his 69th birthday in 2020.
The idea of naming the new-look estate in his honour was voted for by the tenants.
During his long career Phil Evans saved two people’s lives, once during a raging flood and in the second incident he helped rescue a neighbour from a house fire.
At his funeral, the dad of two was given a guard of honour by Cartrefi Conwy’s property maintenance team.
A Cartrefi spokesman said: “This is a flagship development for Cartrefi Conwy, and we are proud that it will provide high quality, low carbon homes for many generations to come.
“However, we would like to apologise for the delay in completing the play area, and we understand this has been an inconvenience to the residents.
“As with the whole of the construction industry, the development has been impacted by issues caused by the pandemic and other external factors.
“We are equally disappointed and frustrated along with the community that progress hasn’t been made to finish the play park.
“However, we are working with our contractor to make speedy progress, and we are committed to ensuring the work is completed in time for the summer holidays.”
He added: “Incorporating a great play area with open green space at the heart of the estate has been fundamental to our approach in regenerating the area.
“It will be a stimulating space with an interesting use of levels and textures to provide opportunities to test abilities and build resilience in a way which encourages children’s creative and imaginative play in a rich and varied natural setting.”
