The indoor 3G pitch has been laid at a new game-changing sports complex at Cefn Hengoed Community School and Leisure Centre.
The indoor sports barn along with an expanded and refurbished leisure centre, which is part of a £7.5m investment at the site, is due to open in the coming months.
Improvements include a brand new gym with all new equipment, a new fitness studio with big screen, sound system and rainbow lighting, new changing rooms and a new reception area with café, while the large sports hall has also had a make-over complete with totally new flooring.
These facilities compliment the new indoor sports barn with 3G pitch suitable for a variety of sports.
Swansea Council cabinet members visited the development this week.
Council Leader Rob Stewart said: “This is the largest ever investment in community sports and leisure facilities in the Eastside of Swansea and they are second to none. I’m hugely impressed with what has been created at Cefn Hengoed.
“It is going to be a game changer for pupils, grassroots sports clubs and the wider community and I can’t wait to return to see them in use.”
The Leisure Centre, adjacent to Cefn Hengoed Community School, will be open longer every day of the week ensuring greatly improvement sports and leisure opportunities for people of all ages.
The new Leisure Centre is operated by Freedom Leisure, one of the UK’s leading not for profit and charitable leisure trusts that manages the leisure facilities in Swansea on behalf of Swansea Council.
The previous fitness studio and its equipment will become part of the school and the investment also includes a new family engagement centre in the redundant former leisure centre spaces.
Funding has come from Swansea Council, Welsh Government, the Football Foundation, Freedom Leisure and Sports Wales, and is supported by partners including the Swansea City AFC Foundation, the Football Association of Wales, the WRU and of course Cefn Hengoed Community School.
The work has been undertaken by local contractor Morganstone.
Swansea Council’s Cabinet Member for Investment, Regeneration, Events and Tourism, Robert Francis-Davies, said: “We are committed to providing the best sports and leisure facilities we can in all areas of Swansea and I think people are going to be really impressed when they see the improvements at Cefn Hengoed.
“I’d like to thank all our partners who are helping to deliver this landmark investment that will benefit the health and wellbeing of thousands of residents of all ages in the months and years to come.”
Cabinet member for Education and Learning, Robert Smith, added: “I’d like to thank the school, Freedom Leisure and the contractors for working so closely together with us on this project.
“I think there’s real excitement that we are now in the countdown to the opening.”
Freedom Leisure’s Area Manager, Gwyn Owen added: “We are really looking forward to operating these fabulous new facilities that will benefit the local residents and the wider Swansea community, offering amazing opportunities for people to positively improve their health and wellbeing.”
The developments will allow a range of additional activities to be offered at the Leisure Centre including birthday parties, sports courses such as gymnastics, club and team bookings and more.