Barry locals have plan for Cold Knap lifeguard station

It’s community in action as an enthusiastic group of locals have put their heads together to come up with the exciting proposition named ‘The Reef’ or ‘Y Rîff’ in Welsh.

What is a coastal exploration centre? The group describe it as a multi-use space with a classroom for children, a space to hold exhibitions, a facility that will cater to outdoor pursuits and include outdoor showers and toilets.

Once home to the Rhondda Cold Knap Lifeguard Club, the Old Lifeguard’s building, as it had become known, the group describe the facility as “fallen into disrepair” tucked into the rocks of Cold Knap Point.

“A first priority will be to provide a fit-for-purpose space for the lifeguards to base their vital service” says project lead and local resident, Sally Evans.

“The whole ethos of the project is about creating a shared-access space and the provision for the lifeguards will also enable other water-users to enjoy facilities such as outdoor showers, accessible toilets and first aid training.”

The group want to turn the old lifeguard station at Cold Knap into a 'coastal exploration centre' (Image: Google Maps)

The steering group for the project all live in Barry and have come together with their personal areas of expertise to see the building transferred to community ownership for the good of a diverse community of people accessing the coast.

“The plan is to use sustainable principles to rejuvenate and revive the dilapidated building to create a base for coastal exploration,” said Sally.

“This would include a multi-use space that would house a classroom of children, or university students and be easily adaptable for varied community groups and wellbeing providers, seeing the building well utilised throughout the day.”

“We envisage using arts and culture as a way of engaging with the wider community and bringing a great deal of fun to the proposition too.

“We want The Reef to house changing exhibitions, offer an indoor facility for outdoor pursuits, and bring together people from our various interest groups across the Vale community”.

The group want to turn the station into a multi-use facility (Image: Supplied)

The Wales Coastal Monitoring Centre is also an important addition to the proposition, hoping to relocate to this public location to share their real-time data and displays on how climate change is impacting Wales.

The group behind the project idea are keen to state that, with environment, wellbeing and coastal exploration at the fore of the plan, community input will be an ongoing process to make The Reef as successful as possible – weather that be joining the steering group to help them take over the building, or later down the line as a community group wanting to use the space.