RCT Council is providing an update on the ongoing works to deliver a Cultural Community Hub in Treorchy, with significant progress being made on the improvements to the exterior of the Treorchy Library building.
In line with the Council’s approach of developing Hubs that account for and recognise the unique characteristics of key locations, the development of the Community Hub in Treorchy will make use of the two cultural assets situated adjacent to one another – namely the Park and Dare Theatre and Treorchy Library.
The Community Hub model sees a range of different citizen-based services being offered from a centralised location, allowing the Council and its partners to offer a broad programme of activities and support services to meet the needs of groups and individuals in the local community.
Canolfan Pennar in Mountain Ash and Yr Hwb in Ferndale are two examples of where this model has been introduced successfully in Rhondda Cynon Taf, with both facilities seeing huge increases in footfall and library memberships prior the COVID-19 pandemic. Treorchy will be the Council’s fourth Community Hub site, following on from both of the aforementioned facilities and the Porth Plaza.
Through the Council’s own capital investment, a range of external upgrades have commenced at the Treorchy Library building. The façade of the building is in the process of being upgraded, with a new entrance to the front of the building next to the existing disabled entrance being formed and this is to be complete with roller shutters.
Further work to repair the existing rendering and redecoration is being carried out, with a change of colour to the window and door frames, along with the installation of external cladding to the existing concrete panels on the high level of the building. At the exterior, soft landscaping is being carried out to enhance the visual appeal of the building, with work also taking place to renew the external paving and realignment of the fencing at the rear car park in conjunction with the Council’s Highways department in order to complement the revised highway plans.
