Coed Gwilym Park — Attraction in Clydach

An urban Park has become an outstanding exquisite go-to place for everyone of all ages and abilities; because of the presence of historic Swansea Canal, Swansea Canal Society and Clydach Heritage Centre. Swansea Canal Towpath is now a very popular walking Trail for everyone of all ages - visitors, explorers ♒, joggers 🚶, runners 🏃, Cyclists 🚴 and it is also included in the National Cycle Route 43.

Walking Trails in the park is made of concrete and hence easily accessible for all including those with mobility impairments! Some parts of trail are prone to flooding! 😔! The park has many facilities including with green space, woodland, bowling green, football pitch, tennis courts, multiuse games area, BMX Track in the woodland, trim trail with fitness equipments, changing facilities, car parks, and Children's play area! There is an AED - Artificial External Defibrillator outside the changing facilities building!

In the summer, Swansea Canal Society runs the Kayak 🛶 and boat 🚣 hire service from the Coed Gwilym Park. And there is a photographic bench to take a breather and take pictures with the local heroes memorialised in steel cut-outs! Clydach Heritage Centre has taken a very intelligent, strategic, and effective plan by creating an Outdoor Display Area and Notice Boards displaying historic information ℹ and historic artefacts - even if it is closed, you wouldn't be disappointed!

Swansea Canal is undergoing restoration and preservation works led by the volunteers at the Swansea Canal Society. No doubt, this park is very important for the preservation of the historic Swansea Canal. Hopefully, The restoration will bring in more features to the park and to the canal itself!

It could be a thoughtful action to add public toilets 🚻 including radar-key-enabled disabled toilets ♿ 🚽 along the Clydach Heritage Centre. While the park is in good condition, the display boards and maps are in very poor state and almost not readable at all! Maintenance is now required for these - may be it's time to upgrade/uplift the information display boards/Signages.

A small car park by the Main Entrance on the Pontardawe Road is very useful for accessing the facilities and visit the park for recreation/relaxation/leisure/sports. Added bonus is that car park is free to use - hope it stays free all the time! 🙏! There is no markings for parking bays, most importantly, no dedicated disabled bays! It would be very useful and accessible, at least, disabled bays are being marked so that Disabled ♿ users can use these facilities more easily and stress-free parking!

Importance of Swansea Canal for the Swansea Valley and surrounding areas: Swansea Canal (fully operational from 1798) was of great importance for the Copperworks industries in Swansea Valley in 18th & 19th Centuries. Because of the canal, towns around Swansea came to existence and rose to global prominence as an industrial nation & copper smelting capital of the world - for which Swansea was known as "Copperopolis"

Due to the decades of neglect, the disused canal has fallen into disrepair Many parts of Swansea Canal are no longer a canal anymore - these were reclaimed by the nature and development of infrastructure! Only about 5 miles out of original 16 miles long canal can be identified as Swansea Canal - between Clydach to Godre’r-Graig is the only section with...

This park is a good all round place to visit. I grew up across the road and now a coach with Clydach FC Juniors and I help out with the onsite canal-side Clydach Heritage Centre (open Sat & sun).

Facilities... Playgrounds ... there are 2 playgrounds, one to the north alongside the car park and generally covered by tall fur trees. The second is to the north alongside the fields is very open. Walk & Cycle Path ... extensive walks (north & south) along it's nearby Swansea Canal which also runs parallel to the River Tawe. Playing Fields ... permanently erect Football Goal Posts. And much field surrounding this pitch. Tennis Courts ... Two free-to-use tarmac courts with renewed paint line and nets (as of Summer 2017). Basketball & Football 5-aside Court ... Alongside the free Tennis Courts is a basketball court which doubles as a 5-aside Football Court. The toilet facilities are located within the playing fields changing rooms but are always locked due to absent groundsmen, however, Sat & Sun the volunteers at Clydach Heritage Centre may be able to open up for you. Bowling Green ... There is also a bowling green with an active club there every weeks sometimes 3 to 4 times a week. Car park ... the car park is sizable however will be over run during school pick-up drop off times due to St.Joseph's Junior...

This patk is close to my heart as it is where i played as a young un it is a Lovely park in my local village! There is parking at the front, 2 children's parks with enough to keep them entertained, a lovely canal walk which stretches to pontardawe perfect for dog walkers, Runners & cyclists! a bowling green, tennis court & footie pitch! They also have kayaking now and again which the ducks don't seem to mind. It is a lovely park, very well maintained and in fairness the dog owners pick up after themselves! Lovely to go for an hour with the kids or for a little dog walk or picnic. Only downside is with such a huge field it would be nice for it to host some fetes,car boot...