Fears in Aberfan over centre built after disaster

There are growing concerns about the future of a community centre that was built with funds raised after the Aberfan disaster.

Aberfan and Merthyr Vale Community Centre was built in 1973 as a place "to heal and come together", said survivor Janett Bickley.

Last week a protest was held after social media posts suggested it would not remain open after 1 April.

The council said it was “committed” to keeping the centre open, but added there were “legal hurdles” to overcome.

It added that to take over services, it needed to have permission from the trustees of Wellbeing Merthyr, a charitable trust that has operated centres in Aberfan and Merthyr Tydfil for the council since 2015.

Wellbeing Merthyr said it was "actively engaged in discussions".

On 21 October 1966, 116 children and 28 adults were killed when a colliery spoil tip collapsed, engulfing a primary school and surrounding houses.

The main swimming pool at Merthyr Tydfil Leisure Centre has been closed since December 2019 after water leaks were found to have caused structural damage.

The Covid lockdown hampered the repair work but further structural issues were identified and £6m of redevelopment works were carried out.

But Wellbeing Merthyr has experienced significant financial challenges and its contract expires at the end of March.

The council said it was in the process of appointing a new operator for Merthyr Tydfil Leisure Centre and could not appoint a new operator for Aberfan Community Centre without the permission of Wellbeing Merthyr.

It has not yet been announced who will take on the day-to-day running of its leisure facilities.

BBC Wales understands the contract to run Merthyr Tydfil Leisure Centre will be given to Halo, a social enterprise which runs leisure centres in Bridgend County Borough, Herefordshire, Gloucestershire and Shropshire.

One of the survivors of the disaster, Janett Bickley, said the centre’s history meant its future must be guaranteed.

“It’s very important, it’s an integral part of the community and has been since 1973," she said.

"It was built after the Aberfan disaster for the people of Aberfan to heal and come together.

"It’s where we all came to be a community. We had nowhere else to go.

"There are 10 clubs run from this centre, there’s 10 small clubs, and there's the swimming club. I myself attend the karate class twice a week."

She added: “It’s such an emotive subject."

Geraint Thomas, head of Merthyr Tydfil Council, said it is the council’s priority to keep all leisure facilities open.

He added the council has contacted the trustees of Wellbeing Merthyr to “ensure the seamless continuation of service”.

“Any decision in relation to Aberfan centre rests solely with the current trustees so my plea to them is to please work with us to ensure a seamless transition of service for the people of Merthyr Tydfil,” he said.

Wellbeing Merthyr said it was "actively engaged in discussions" with the council to facilitate "a managed return to the council of those facilities and assets under the terms of the agreement".

Gareth Morgans, regional organiser for the GMB trade union, said the uncertainty was “completely unacceptable”.

He said the plan to hand both leisure centres over to a new provider is "atrocious" and "bad value for the people in Merthyr".

Mr Morgans said staff planned to strike on 27 March.