Swansea’s indoor sports barn with 3G pitch is taking shape

The steel frame of the building that will help transform sports facilities at Cefn Hengoed Community School and Leisure Centre on the city’s eastside has been erected.

It is part of £7.5m investment that also includes upgrades to the school, leisure centre and a new family engagement centre.

Swansea Council Leader Rob Stewart said: “The sports barn will be a first for Swansea and I’m excited to see the development take shape as it was one of our policy commitments.

“It will transform sports and leisure facilities for thousands of residents of all ages both from the eastside and further afield.”

Local contractor Morganstone is behind the work that also includes a new fitness suite, café, flexible studio, changing rooms, new access and car parking at the leisure centre.

Cabinet Member for Education and Learning Robert Smith added: “We are committed to providing our schools and their communities with the very best sports and leisure facilities we can and I’m extremely grateful to all the partners involved for sharing our ambition and for their support.

“I’m looking forward to visiting Cefn Hengoed when the work is complete and seeing the sports barn and other new facilities being used as I’m certain they will prove popular with the school, grassroots sports clubs and the wider community.”

Cabinet Member for Investment, Regeneration and Events & Tourism, Robert Francis-Davies said: “Swansea Council is investing record sums in our sports and leisure facilities to help get more people of all ages fit and active.”

The new family engagement centre has been completed and the school is currently talking with pupils and the wider community about future uses.

Cefn Hengoed Community School Headteacher, Carl Bale, said: “The school has benefitted from funding allowing for the refurbishment of some of the old leisure centre facilities.

“These spaces will be designated for community use and the school is currently in the process of collating stakeholder opinion.

“We have issued a series of questionnaires asking the local community what they would like to see offered. Popular suggestions to date have included a digital library and a parent/pupil homework club.”

The Sports Barn and Leisure Centre, and school improvements have been funded by Swansea Council and the Welsh Government’s Community Hubs Capital Grant Scheme, with a £750,000 grant from the Football Foundation with support from the Swansea City Foundation.

The Community Family Engagement Centre is funded by the Welsh Government’s Community Focussed Schools Capital Grant Scheme.

Further contributions were made by Sport Wales, as well as Freedom Leisure which manages the leisure centre in partnership with the council.

The new school facilities are already in use by pupils of Cefn Hengoed Community School, and the new sports facilities are on track to open in early 2024 once the work is complete, which is weather dependent.