Park History.

COED BACH PARK

Official Opening - July 29^th, 1922

Part of the estate of Sir Marteine Lloyd and Mr Moore - Gwyn of Neath

Opening Ceremony

The Pontarddulais town band with it's conductor Mr Jim Morris, led a procession of over 1000 children through the village to the entrance, where Gwynfryn road now stands.

Present

1. Miss Elaine Llewellyn performed the opening ceremony.

2. Her father Sir David Llewellyn.

3. Councillor Matthew Griffiths presided.

4. Mr Henry Perry-Chairman of the Parish Council.

5. D R Grenfell MP - Gower

6. John Williams MP.

7. Mr Vaughan Price-General Manager of Graigola Colliery (Cory).

8. Mr Daniel Morgan - Clerk of the Parish

People of Pontarddulais

Because of the inclement weather tea had been arranged at the Mechanic's Institute.

Guests were entertained with the music of Mr Ivor Williams and Mr Reginald Elias on the violin

(The later opened an electrical applience shop in St Teilo Street in the 1950's It was closed recently)

The Parish Council had a tablet of black granite installed at the old 'Ffynnon' alongside the path down to Yr Hen Eglwys on the March.

An Englyn was inscribed on the granite.

Gwin a groyw-wyd gan Grewr-yw ffynnon

A gorphenol wlybwr,

Bron haf, dibrui I yfwr,

Y sten Duw I estyn dwr.

A well is a wine purified by the creator,

The consummate drink,

At summers height, lavish to the drinker

God's pitcher to offer water.

A few years later, the whole area where water had flowed from the spring for countless centuaries was turned into a rubbish dump. It is now a football field

The parish council also installed a Royal Artilliery cannon near the Coed Bach fair entrance to the park. It caused controversy in the community and the canon was eventually pushed off it's concrete plinth and down a very steep slope!

The Park's facilities

Woods

Paths

A lake with boats and an island in the middle

Tennis courts

A croquet green

Swings

A rugby field (opened in 1930)

A football field

Over the years it has held

Carnivals

Circuses

Fairs

Band concerts

Rallies

The 'Monkey Parade' on Sunday evenings

The area was known as Coed Gweunydd Bach

Gweunydd - Meadows

Bibliography

'Bont. The history of the village' by Denver Evans.

'Images of Pontarddulais' By John Miles.